From early childhood, Anton was a curious and determined boy.

He threw himself into new things with ease, explored the world around him and helped his parents with the chores. At just 5, Anton had the resolve to go up to a teacher – a colleague of his mum’s – on his own and ask for reading lessons.

The war hit this energetic boy hard: he went through the worst thing that can happen at such a time. Anton’s father was killed fighting the russian occupiers in southern Ukraine. His mum, Halyna, remembers how suddenly her son grew up: he lost weight, grew 20 centimetres in a year, took on adult responsibilities at home and became more serious.

“I might forget that the animals need feeding in the morning, but Anton will ring me and remind me.”

At the same time, he withdrew into himself. He was often seen alone at the cemetery, by his father’s grave.

The Horytsvit team was struck by Anton. He turned out to be purposeful, with thoughtful, grown-up views on the world; he took initiative and responsibility, knew how to support others and was sensitive to them.

“He gets that inner strength from his father.”

Throughout the camp Anton amazed everyone with his knowledge of poetry, sharing treasures of the Ukrainian language every day – he knew many poems by heart. But even at the camp, amid the peace and quiet of the majestic Carpathians, the war reached him: news came that a close family friend had been killed at the front.

He spent almost the whole day on his own, and later, over tea in a quiet, intimate circle, he told the mentors about the fallen soldier and shared what he was going through. He talked about his father too. It was a hard moment for him, and everyone at the camp tried to support Anton.