My Ukrainian Daughter

By Jondi Gumz

After Russian attacked Ukraine in 2022, Santa Cruz County resident Nancy Cooper texted her Ukrainian daughter, Sveta, in Kyiv. The attack up-ended Sveta’s life.

But she found love, married, and last year, gave birth to Pasha, her baby boy who will celebrate his first birthday in November.

Nancy, a Pajaro Valley teacher for 32 years, had visited Alushta, a resort beach town of 29,000 in Crimea,as a chaperone with the Pacific Collegiate School band as part of the Santa Cruz Sister Cities initiative in 2002 when Alushta was part of Ukraine.

Sveta, a talented trumpet player with the Alushta Music School, stayed at Nancy’s house when the school arranged a weeklong visits to Santa Cruz in 2005 and 2008..

The Alushta musicians gave concerts at Rio Del Mar Elementary School in Aptos, where Nancy worked, and Peace United Church in Santa Cruz.

During the first visit, Sveta met John Thomas, owner of the Thomas Musical Instruments and founder-conductor in 1994 of the Santa Cruz City Band, where Nancy played oboe, and bought a new trumpet to replace her old one.

On a later visit to Alushta, Thomas met a conservatory-trained pianist, Marina, who still has a brother and nieces in Ukraine. They fell in love and married and today, live in Ben Lomond.

Sveta moved from Alushta to Kyiv to take a job with the renowned all-female band, Freedom- Jazz. (Listen to their music on YouTube.com)

Her brother joined the military.

When Russia attacked, her brother had to choose: Stay Ukrainian, or return to Alushta, which since 2014 had been taken over by Russia. He returned to Alushta, where Sveta ’s parents still live.

To tell Sveta ’s story, with her permission, I am sharing the texts that have gone back and forth from the U.S. to Kyiv.

Nancy’s texts are marked with a double-asterisk (**)

**Feb. 22, 2022: How are you doing? I hope you are doing OK. We are thinking of you and sending love. Be safe!

Feb. 23, 2022: Hello, we are afraid and don’t understand what happed, so now we just waiting any information…thank you for wishes, everything will be ok))

**Keep me informed on how you are doing. Have you been able to work during COVID?

We worked a lot, everything was ok, and this night… terrible, I hope finished very soon, I will write you))

**Stay safe.

I am situated near Kyiv, in small town, now most terrible is near me, my boyfriend with me, we hope this situation will be finished very soon, we are staying home and waiting news

**Keep talking to me. Love you!

Thanks!

**Feb. 27, 2022: How are things today?

Terrible day, very terrible, we are ok, sit all day in a very small room without windows all day

**I’m so sorry. I think you are doing the right thing trying to stay safe. I wish I could help you. Sending lots of love.

Thank you (heart)

**Feb. 27, 2022: If you can get to Poland and want to come here, we will sponsor the two of you. Here is a link to request acceptance into the US. Here is the application to file https://uscis.gov/humanitarian/refugees-and-asylum-asylum. I don’t know if you want to do this or if you can but we will help you if you want us to.

Feb. 27, 2022: Thanks, but we haven’t a car, our roads are destroyed, this place is our home, we will stay)) thank you (heart)

**Feb. 27, 2022: That’s what I thought but I wanted to offer in case you wanted to leave. I hope things have settled down some. Heart heart.

Thumbs up sign.

**March 2, 2022: How are you doing?

Not good.

**If someone from western Ukraine can pick you up, would you like to go to another part of Ukraine? My friend knows someone that could possibly get you.

It impossible, most safe place is our house, all roads dangerous.

**Ok. Do you have food?

All stores closed, we have many food at home.

**Happy to hear that. Know that we are always thinking of you. Lots of love.

**March 3, 2022: How are things today?

Photo of destruction. It’s place near me. I feel sad and angry

**March 3, 2022: I wish I could help. We are all sad and angry, too.

**I’m so glad you have internet! At least we know you are OK!

And I am so glad)

**How are things today?

Normally)

**What is your boyfriend’s name? What does he do? How long have you been together? Picture?

His name is Dima, he is not musician, we are 2 years together and wanted married

**It will happen. Very good looking! Congratulations! Will he have to join the forces?

**March 4, 2022: What is happening today?

**March 5, 2022: Are you still online?

**March 9, 2022: Praying that you are OK. Please contact me as soon as you can. 5 hearts

March 10, 2022: Hello, it was terrible, we leave our home and now sit in underground and to leave Kiev and go to my friend Ira in Rovno, we are ok))

**March 10, 2022: I am so glad. Is there a passage out? The offer is still open if you need to come here.

Thanks, thanks, thanks, people is come out, now in a train, a lot of my neighbors, everything ok)) relatives of Dima waiting us))

**Wonderful. Keep me informed. I worry a lot.

**March 11, 2022: Did you make it out of Kiev?

March 12, 2022: Yes we are now in safe, quite, it’s so cool)

**Where are you? I am so happy. Are you with Dima’s relatives? Do you have food? Did you save your trumpet?

We are with relatives of Dima trumpet in Kiev, I hope it’s ok)) I only took documents and nothing more (( Here are a lot of food)

She attaches a video

**Fantastic. The video shows terrible things. I hope soon you will be able to go back and be safe. So happy you are safe now.

**March 13, 2022: What city are you in? Is it close to a border? He’s very close to Poland now.

It’s not close to Poland. Hmelnizk, a small city not near any borders

**Safer I hope.

Safer) Heart

**March 14, 2022: How are you today? We are headed back home after camping this weekend. I have to go to the doctor to check on my broken arm that I broke while walking our new dog. Thinking of you always! Heart heart

You are so cool, you are walking all year, a lot of beautiful fotos, it’s amazing)) hope your arm is ok, we are setting in new hone and waiting good news)

**John Thomas says hello. He is so glad that you are OK and that you have been in touch with me. Your dad has been so worried.

Say hello to Jon) my father is worried, tired… it’s so hard when your daughter is not safe

**Yes it is. I claim you as my daughter too.

**March 14, 2022: A big hi and hugs right back to her. Thank you. From John

**March 17, 2022: Checking in! Luckily I don’t need surgery for my arm, just physical therapy, All is good. Hugs to everyone there.

It is very good, I am so happy

**I’m so glad. I’ll keep checking in every couple days. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Happy St. Patrik’s day

**March 23, 2022: How are you doing? Has the stuff in Kiev affected you very much? We’re all doing fine here

March 24, 2022: Hello, usually we are happy that everything is over, but sometimes we want to cry that our whole life has changed and will never be the same, how are you?

**We are all praying that Putin will give up soon and you can begin to build back Ukraine. Steven’s birthday is on Monday. We will celebrate with a nice dinner. Sending lots of love

It is so cool, how are Steven doing? I will wait for foto of dinner))

**March 25, 2022: Texts photo. This is Casey’s husband Erich, Casey, Ken, me, Steven and my brother Doug. I will send one from Steven’s dinner if he let me take one. He doesn’t like pictures. He is doing well and looking for a new job.

I hope Steven will find a new job)) you are so happy I like this foto so much

March 28, 2022: Tell please Steven my best wishes and Happy Birthday, I hope he will get a new job from his dreams))

**He says thank you!

**I forgot to take a picture. He wanted barbecue. It was delicious!

It is ok)) barbecue…wonderful

**April 12, 2022: Checking in. How are you doing?

April 13, 2022: Hello, we are ok)) little secret-I am pregnant, and I have very strong toxicosis (if you understand this word) so now I am sleeping all days

It is a secret

**Oh how exciting! When is the baby due? I had toxemia with Casey but only at the very end of the pregnancy. Can I tell Casey that you are pregnant? Do your parents know?

Yes you can say Casey)) my parents know it, they are happy, now we are 9 weeks, and I wait for 13 weeks and hope toxemia will finished)) very hope

**Congratulations! I’m so happy for you and hope you will feel better soon.

Thanks for congratulations

**Have you been able t get anything from Kiev or are you staying away still?

I am stay away, we want to return to Kiev, maybe in Moscow, now it is not safe in Kiev

**Others have said that it was better and I thought maybe you would pick up some of your things but not move back. Stay safe! Don’t go back until you feel safe there.

Thumbs up sign

**April 18, 2022: I know your birthday is somewhere around now. I have lost the date. Happy birthday, probably late!

April 21. 2022: My birthday is 25 of June)) , I am normally but it so hard, I am so tired, every day is nausea

**Hopefully that part will be over soon and you will have more energy. It’s all worth it when you get to hold that beautiful baby. I don’t know why I thought your birthday was in April. It is the month after Casey’s, not the month before. Hers is May 2.

I hope it will finish soon)

**Me too!

May 2, 2022: Congratulation with Casey’s birthday)) now I understand how it’s difficult to create a child)) happiness for all of your family

**Hope you are feeling better now. Casey went to Disneyland today. I’m sure she had a lot of fun. Two of my nieces are pregnant now too. They are due in September and October.

May 3, 2022: Disneyland is amazing, so good idea to spend her birthday)) I am a little bit feeling better, sleeping a lot)) tomorrow we will go to kiev, I am so happy

**Are you going to stay there or just pick things up? They were bombing again there

We want to stay in kiev, now it is quiet, where we are is also bombing, if situation become dangerous we will go back here

**Just be safe! I hope everything in Kiev is safe where you left it

Thanks)) we will be happy))

**May 11, 2022: How did you find everything in Kiev? Was your home ok and everything still there?

Hello, our home is ok)) we are happy, and my condition has improved, everything is very good)) how are you doing)

**May 12, 2022: We are good. I have an orchestra concert tonight and band concert Sunday. Then we leave for our trip on Monday.

Good luck)) for concert and trip

Aug 19, 2022: Happy birthday Nancy)) I wish you more interesting trips, more good concerts and more and more happiness every day

**Thank you so much. How is my baby doing? Send tummy pics please. How are you holding up? Still in Kiev? Can I tell people yet?

Aug. 20, 2022: Photos attached. We are good, I eat a lot of apples, bananas and it makes me happy, we are living in Kiev, here is quiet

How are you and Casey, Steven, Ken?

**Aug. 20, 2022: We are all good. You look so cute. Two of my nieces are due near the same time as you are. 3 babies at once. I love it!

Aug. 23, 2022: We wait a boy)) your friends also wait boys or girls? It is very interesting for me

**Aug. 23, 2022: How exciting. Neither of my nieces want to know the sex until the baby is born. It makes it hard to buy gifts for them! It will be a surprise! Is it ok to tell people now? What is your address?

How are they buying clothes? Yes, you can tell people about me)) Address follows

**Thank you!

**We aren’t buying clothes yet. We have to wait!

I don’t want to wait. I bought a little bit clothes. We are thinking about the name, it is so interesting))

**Let me know when you pick a name. Are you getting everything you need?

We have almost everything, I say the name lately, it is so difficult to choose for us

**It’s always hard. We changed Casey’s name after she was born. We had a different name picked out.

Really? I think it wait us))

**Have a couple ready and see what fits him.

**In a quintet rehearsal at my house now. Everyone says hello

When you have the next rehearsal say hello from me))]

**Sept. 22, 2022: How are you doing? When is the baby supposed to arrive? Do you have Amazon there? Is there a way for me to get a gift certificate to your account? I know that they deliver in Ukraine. Can you order from them? No babies here yet.

Sept. 23, 2022: I’m fine, I’m a little tired, I sleep all the time and my ribs hurt a lot, husband says it’s the beauty of pregnancy, we don’t have Amazon. We still have a month to wait for a baby or more )) Attaches photo of herself and Dima, and her baby bump

**Did you get married? Congratulations! What do you need for the baby? Did you change your name? You look happy and beautiful!

Sept. 24, 2022: Thanks for the congratulations, we got married a long time ago, we are almost ready for the appearance of Pasha in our world

**Sept. 27, 2022: First baby was just born. It’s another girl for my nephew. Wren Olivia is her name

Sept. 28, 2022: this is so cute. I hope you are having a good trip.

**We are having a great time. I’m still trying to figure out how to get a useful gift to you. What do you want or need? Just clothes or other things?

We have everything for our baby, a lot of things were given by friends and acquaintances, enjoy every moment of the journey, it will be the best gift for me

**Oct.3, 2022: The second one is a boy, 5 days apart

Now we are waiting the third baby))

**He will be here before you know it! Getting excited!

Thumbs up sign

**Boy/girl. Gunnar/Wren. 2 photos attached

They’re so cute.

**They look like twins, not just cousins.

I think so too

**Can’t wait to see you.

1 or 2 months we must wait

**Yes. He’ll be a happy, healthy boy

I hope.

**Oct. 10, 2022: Checking to make sure that you are OK. How bad was it today?

Hello) we are sitting in a bomb shelter today, now we came home to eat and soon we will go there again, a little scary

**Stay safe. Keep me informed 3 hearts

Everything is OK)) we are in the safe place

**Oct. 17, 2022: How are you doing?

Oct. 18, 2022: hello. I am ok, hard time has come, we’re holding on

**Stay safe and keep messaging so I know you’re ok. Love you!

**Nov 13, 2022: How are you doing? I have COVID right now but a light case. Just tired and stuffed up. Any contractions happening?

It is so bad that you have covid, my husband had covid in summer, it is difficult, I hope you will be healthy very soon

I wait on my baby, one or two weeks maybe (attaches meme of Donald Duck nervously tapping on a table)

**Nov. 14, 2022: So exciting! I can’t wait and I know you are ready!

I am ready but my baby is not ready.

**You never know. One of our babies came 3 weeks early and is super healthy. As long as their lungs develop it is good. He will come when he’s ready. Are you staying warm? We have heard terrible stories of you not having power to get heat. I hope it will not be bad in the winter

We have warm, only the electricity is turned off for 8 hours every day, we are already used to

Let’s see what happens in winter, we hope for the best

**Hoping that it stays warm so your baby will be happy, warn and healthy

Nov, 18, 2022: Pasha was born yesterday. Attaches photo of baby cradled in her arms with Dima looking on.

**Congratulations! He’s beautiful and you look terrific! Keep the pictures coming. Good job Mom! 5 hearts

**I hope everything went easily without complications

Everything was ok, I tired

**Fantastic. Get some sleep while you can. You’ll be missing lots of sleep for a long time! He’s worth it though.

**Nov. 26, 2022: Are you staying warm? How is that precious little one doing? Send more picture when you can I hope you’re getting some sleep.

Nov 29, 2022: It is warm)) I want to sleep every moment..and now I am sleeping)) Attaches photo of her holding the baby

**He is so precious!

YES with a meme of a penguin nodding yes

Dec. 17, 2022: Pasha is father’s child. Attaches 2 photos, one where she holds the baby and the other of Dima holding the baby looking at the camera

**Awe. So cute! He looks like he’s Mama’s boy too!

Dec. 19, 2022: I hope he takes something from me))

**Of course he will. Love, love, love.

**Dec. 24, 2022: Merry Christmas

Thumbs up sign

**Jan. 5, 2023: Merry Orthodox Christmas! Are you doing anything to celebrate? Hope all is well

Jan. 7, 2023: Thank you, we don’t celebrate much, there was a festive dinner with my husband’s parents, we are a bit tired now ))

**Sleep while you can!

Texts a photo of baby sleeping on his sleeping father’s chest

**He’s growing! So sweet

5kg of happiness

**Comfy cozy happiness! 4 hearts

Feb. 18, 2023: Hello)) How are you doing? Attaches a photo of herself cuddling the baby. I and Pasha send kisses and rays of happiness for you.

**Two beautiful people! Kisses and love right back to you. Stay warn with yur cuddly little guy! 5 hearts

**March 21, 2023: How are you doing? How is that little sweetheart doing? What new tricks has he learned?

March 23, 2023: Texts a video of baby on his tummy on his playmat, and 2 photos, one a closeup of baby smiling and the other laying on his father’s chest and looking up at the camera.

He smile every day

**He is so cute! What a good job you are doing! Happy boy and happy mama and daddy.

This is my job next 3 years))

**March 24, 2023: The best job ever!

Aug. 19, 2023: Dear Nancy, Happy Birthday)) we wish you a lot of fun, healthiness and happiness

**Thank you so much! I need a new baby picture!!! Hope you are doing well

Aug. 20, 2023: We are well, now we are having barbecue with parents of my husband. Attaches 3 photos of baby

**I was showing these pictures of Pasha to Rowan yesterday and there was a friend there who is a reporter. She wants to write an article about you and has some questions

**What is your husband’s last name? What is his job? Has he had to serve in the military? How did you meet each other? Do you have access to things for the baby? Is there any way we can help you? … Is it Ok with you for her to write your story?

Aug. 25, 2022: It is ok to write but I am very busy right now, a little later will write answers.

Sept. 7, 2023: Hello, it was a terrible two weeks. My husband, Gamayunov Dmytro, he is engineer of health and safety, we met on a dating site, he did not serve in the military, his eyesight is very poor We have everything for baby, there is a lot of humanitarian aid in Ukraine. My husband’s parents are living near us and help us. My parents see me and Pasha on Skype.

**Thank you. I hope things are calmer now. I’m so glad that thigs like Skype exist so you can see your parents and they can see the baby. Not the same as holding him though

Sept. 8, 2023: Everything is fine with us now and I hope that everything is fine with you.

On Skype, my parents can see every stage of Pasha’s development)

•••

The next Sister Cities committee meeting is Nov. 13 at 7 p.m. Santa Cruz started a Sister Cities relationship with Alushta in 1984 and Shingu, Japan, in 1974. Teens in grades 8-10 are invited to visit Shingu during spring break 2024. Applications are due Nov. 15. Information Night is 6 p.m. Oct. 17. To learn more about Santa Cruz Sister Cities, see www.cityofsantacruz.com/government/city-departments/parks-recreation/advisory-bodies/sister-cities-committee

Top Photo: Sveta, Dima and Pasha