Occupation: Student

Country of Birth: Ukraine

Current: Lincolnshire, IL

“On the second or third day of the invasion, I remember looking out the window and seeing a whole row of Ukrainian tanks right under our building.”

Tymur Tatsenyuk was born in Shostka, Ukraine, a small city at least 100 kilometers from the Russian border. When he was ten years old, he moved to Kyiv, where life was good and full of simple joys, from long walks in the park with his mom to boat rides and scooter adventures with friends. He attended school and loved math, English, and biology.

On February 24, 2022, the invasion of Ukraine began, and everything changed. After spending days in a cold underground garage that served as a bunker and hearing explosions near their home, Tymur and his mom made the difficult decision to leave.

Their journey was difficult. Train routes were bombed, bus stations were overcrowded, and money was tight. Traveling from Kyiv to Lviv, then to Poland, Sweden, and finally the United States, Tymur and his mom faced countless barriers, yet his resilience never wavered. With the help of American sponsors, they arrived in New York City, spent a few months in Connecticut, and eventually moved to Chicago, drawn by its large Ukrainian community.

Now, Tymur has been living in Chicago for over two years. He enjoys playing video games online with friends and working out regularly. His English has improved significantly, and he is even learning Spanish. He has developed a strong interest in computer science and coding, studying Python and Java in school. He believes these skills will be valuable for his future career in coding or in contributing to something meaningful.