KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — In the midst of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, two teenagers, Danylo Khudia, 17, and Alyona Zavadska, 16, formed a deep bond that transcended the war-torn realities surrounding them. They met in a park on a winter day in Kyiv, where Danylo worked as a food delivery driver and Alyona was a budding manicurist. Together, they shared dreams of a future as a doctor and an engineer, and they planned to get married when Alyona turned 18 in the upcoming summer.
Despite the initial skepticism from their parents, Danylo and Alyona's relationship flourished. "We knew that they are just kids, but we could see they could handle themselves," expressed Oksana, Alyona's mother. As the war with Russia escalated, Danylo found solace and peace in Alyona, referring to her as "my baby girl" while she affectionately called him "my boy." The intensity of their connection left a mark on their friends, who admired the love they shared, especially during moments when Danylo's eyes lit up while speaking about Alyona.
Their bond was characterized by mutual support; Alyona cheered for Danylo during his basketball games and assisted him in preparing for exams, while Danylo encouraged Alyona through her personal struggles with an eating disorder. When Alyona expressed an interest in tattoo art, Danylo willingly became her canvas, allowing her to ink designs such as an alien and a scorpion on him. Their relationship continued to deepen as they celebrated small victories together and looked forward to adulthood.
Nevertheless, the looming threat of war was ever-present. Alyona had once dreamt of Danylo’s house getting hit in a missile strike, a chilling premonition that she brushed aside. One fateful night, as air sirens blared through Kyiv, Alyona felt an inexplicable sense of dread. She shared a long embrace with Danylo and requested regular updates from him until he fell asleep. But the morning brought devastating news: Danylo's home had been struck by a Russian missile, resulting in his tragic death along with the deaths of his parents. His younger sister was rescued from the rubble but left to cope with the aftermath of the tragedy.
The attack, which had no clear military importance, killed 13 civilians and drew rare criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump towards Russian President Vladimir Putin, urging him to cease hostilities. On April 28, 2025, Alyona attended Danylo's funeral, where she knelt in front of his coffin, overwhelmed with grief. Her mother supported her as she mourned the loss of the boy she described as "the most precious thing I have ever had."
During the funeral, Khudia's family and Zavadska's family met for the first time, with Khudia's grandmother recognizing Alyona from a portrait of Danylo. The trauma of his loss haunted Alyona, as Danylo continued to appear in her dreams, leaving her frightened of sleep. At a park gazebo where they had shared beautiful moments, Alyona looked at their photos and whispered about her overwhelming sense of loss. "Part of me is gone," she lamented, while her mother expressed deep concern for her daughter's emotional well-being in the face of such grief.
Alyona reminisced about the warmth of Danylo's hugs and their shared anticipation for the summer and the plans they had together. As the reality of their dreams shattered under the weight of war, the tragedy of young love lost amidst conflict resonated deeply, underscoring the human cost of the ongoing violence in Ukraine.
