Sergiy Blednov was one of the first people I met at #RazomforUkraine when I started volunteering in March. I noticed him right away because he was carrying heavy boxes of supplies to refill the assembly line where we made combat medical kits for soldiers and larger backpacks for medics.
During the first days I volunteered I was part of a group that was unwrapping thousands of tourniquets for the assembly line.
The assembly line at #RazomforUkraine.
To the right in the foreground is Olena Blyednova, Sergiy's wife.
I said, "No, I am Sergiy two. Ya Sergiy Dva!"
He caught the joke right tossed it back, "Sergiy two, or Sergiy too?"
"Takosh i dva!" I said getting near the limits of my ability to speak Ukrainian, "too and two."
From then on Sergiy and I both filled boxes. And made many jokes.
Sergiy and his wife and daughter emigrated to America in 2016. His son followed in 2019. Before coming to America Sergiy worked in aircraft manufacturing in Kharkiv. He later worked in software and programming. He now works for a software company based in Arizona which allows him to volunteer with Razom in the morning then go to work in the afternoon when the day begins in California.
In three weeks I hope to return to volunteering with Razom. Sadly, it seems volunteers will still be needed to make medical kits for Ukraine.
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