We couldn’t protect our son from death at Azovstal. The world prayed, and Artem attained his mission
Dreamt of Becoming a Soldier
Artem was born in Kyiv. He was a very good child. We never had any troubles with him. We raised him in Christian values.
Artem got involved in sports in childhood. He was good at strength training. Starting with a hobby, it turned into a professional activity. While other kids trained three times a week, Artem trained daily. At the age of 16, my son became a boxing champion of Kyiv.
Artem with his family. Archive photo
Archive photo
During summers, Artem was actually growing up in hiking-type camps for kids. When he grew up, he became a counselor in a children's camp. He got along very well with kids. Being tall and handsome, he enjoyed authority among the youth.
Artem’s main qualities were decency, being true to his word, responsibility, and sincerity. He didn’t tolerate lies and tried to live in accordance with the commandments.
For one and a half years, he served in the border troops in the west of Ukraine. Several times our family came to visit him there.
Having returned from the army, Artem decided to join the ranks of the SBU. He successfully passed all the tests. He only needed to also meet the swimming standards. But having considered his own abilities he said that he wouldn’t be able to meet the time requirements. The SBU suggested that he train and come back in six months.
Artem didn’t want to wait so long and decided to sign a contract with the Azov regiment.
Archive photo
Only Faith Helped
Artem stayed at the regiment base in Urzuf. There he mastered the profession of a driver-mechanic. He participated in military operations using a combat vehicle.
When the full-scale invasion started, he was with his brothers-in-arms. We only knew that. Since February 24, we didn’t hear from him for about a week. We were extremely worried, but we believed that everything would be fine with him.
In the first days of March, he wrote me that he was alive and stayed in Mariupol. Actually, Artem rarely opened his heart. If he shared something with his friends, he asked them not to tell us anything. He didn’t want us to worry.
Archive photo
Archive photo
We learned about what was happening in Mariupol, including at Azovstal, from the news. Our son hung in there till the end and did not want us to worry even more. He periodically sent short messages saying he was alive.
All this time we prayed. We prayed like never before. We realized that my son and all the defenders were in a death trap. Only faith enabled us to not give up and believe in the best.
The whole family and our faithful Christian friends were fasting to strengthen our prayers.
At the same time, together with the mothers whose sons were defending Mariupol, we wrote letters everywhere we could — we knocked on all the doors. Unfortunately, we were never heard.
It Hurts Much
Until the very end, my son said that he was not injured. In the first days of May, he sent me his photo. He wrote that he was intact and thanked for prayers, because they had saved his life more than once. For example, once a bullet flew right past him and over his head. It hit the car, but he was intact.
On May 5, on his Instagram page, Artem posted a story in which he said goodbye to everyone, apologized, and thanked for the bright life he had lived. I didn’t see this story. He hid it from all his relatives. Later, my son's friends told me about it.
I don’t know why he wrote it. Perhaps he was injured, perhaps he felt something. He wrote me: “Mom, I love you and I feel that everything will be fine.”
We last chatted on May 7. At that time, we were still fasting and Artem wrote: “Shall we fast together?”
And at night I had a dream that Artem suffered severe spinal fractures. I prayed till morning. Then I started calling the patronage service. There, I was told that due to an airstrike there was a collapse that very night. And that’s where Artem was. No one knew if he was alive. Azovstal shelling did not stop, so no one could find him.
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For several days we lived in complete obscurity. I understood that my son could be suffering under the rubble, and no one could help him. These thoughts drove me crazy.
On May 11, representatives of the patronage service informed me that Artem Mosha died on May 8.
It was very hard for me to accept this. We prayed, resisted this fate. It hurts much. Later, we got a detailed response to our request. They informed that 67 people died on the same day.
Completed the Mission
Now I start to realize that God did answer our prayers and took my son to be with Him, so that he would not suffer there, in Azovstal. Because we don’t know what awaits our defenders next. We couldn’t protect our son from death. We could only beg for him to pass quickly.
It still hurts me much, but I am proud that my son gave his life to save Ukrainians. The last civilians were taken out of the Azovstal bunker on May 7. So, in fact, Artem fulfilled his mission to protect civilians. And then he himself went into eternity.
Archive photo
His fate is tragic, but at the same time heroic. He gave everyone who left Mariupol the chance to live. He is a real Hero. Now we all get inspired by the understanding that Artem’s death was not in vain. Although he lived a very short life, it was worthy.
Now we are learning to live without Artem. But I really want us to always remember him. I was recently told that near the school where my son studied, there is a park that people want to name in his honor. I will do my best to make that happen.
Heroes do not die! They remain in our hearts and memories forever.
