Young Ukrainian child completed marathon in tribute to late grandfather
A five-year-old boy named Dmytro Dankevych participated in the charity marathon Run4Victory in May, held nationwide in Ukraine under the slogan "Run for those who are fighting. Remember those who gave their lives." Dmytro ran the distance in honor of his late grandfather, Colonel Vyacheslav Voronoy, who perished during a rescue mission in Mariupol in 2022.
At two years old, Dmytro had just celebrated his second birthday when his grandfather passed away. Now, the little boy honors his grandfather by participating in charitable actions, expressing a desire to become a soldier, and stating, "I run for all the soldiers, so we can win this war."
An accomplished military officer, Vyacheslav Voronoy re-enlisted following the full-scale invasion and took part in operations in the Kyiv region and Mariupol. He was posthumously awarded the Bohdan Khmelnytskyi Order for his bravery.
NV reported the story, featuring statements from Dmytro and his mother, Maria Dankevych. Dmytro shared, "My grandfather Slavik had some injuries, so I run for all the other soldiers to finally win this war, because it annoys me."
Maria Dankevych provided additional context, explaining that her son ran in memory of his grandfather, who was performing multiple missions at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, including missions in Mariupol. The colonel's plane was shot down during a rescue mission, resulting in the death of almost the entire crew.
Since then, Dima, along with his mother and aunt, keeps the memory of his grandfather alive. Together, they support the Azov prisoners, as Vyacheslav Voronoy gave his life fighting for them.
Maria Dankevych also shared personal anecdotes about her son, highlighting his resemblance to his late grandfather, both in appearance and temperament. She elaborated, "When the invasion began, Vyacheslav Voronoy was a retired military officer. However, after ensuring the safety of his family, he immediately joined the TCC. The colonel participated in operations in the Kyiv region and then took part in missions to the besieged Mariupol."
While Maria spoke fondly of her deceased father-in-law, she recognized the significance of honoring the fallen. "He is always remembered with a smile and joyful emotions," she stated. "We are very glad that he was in our lives, and it's a shame that they took him from us because there was so much more good that could have been. It's important that people know that we care, that they remember the price of peace, and that they don't say 'who cares' because that hurts the most."
Dmytro, inspired by his late grandfather Vyacheslav Voronoy's military career, expresses his wish to run in support of soldiers and win the ongoing war, as he shares, "I run for all the soldiers, so we can win this war." Vyacheslav Voronoy, an accomplished military officer, played a significant role in multiple European-leagues, such as the premier-league operations in Kyiv and Mariupol, before his untimely demise during a rescue mission in Mariupol.
