Thread by @kalmantibs

Amazing, heartwarming story. 🙏🇸🇰

Yesterday, an 11-year-old boy showed up at the Slovakian border from Ukraine with only a plastic bag, passport & phone number written on his hand. He came completely alone, his parents had to stay behind in Ukraine.

#SlavaUkraini ❤️🇺🇦🕊️ 1/3

The volunteers at the border crossing immediately brought him inside to warmth, provided him with food & drink and gave him comfort.

He amazed them all with his defiant smile, fearlessness and determination, worthy of a true hero.

#SlavaUkraini ❤️🇺🇦🕊️ 2/3

Thanks to the phone number written on his hand and a piece of paper in his pocket, police managed to contact relatives who came for him later. A rare, happy ending during extremely dire times. 🙏🇸🇰

From Polícia Slovenskej Republiky
facebook.com/policiaslovakia

#SlavaUkraini ❤️🇺🇦🕊️

Update from the Slovakian police:
fb.watch/bApIoh4Xfc/

#SlavaUkraini ❤️🇺🇦🕊️

The reason I used the adjectives *amazing* & *heartwarming,* is this little boy made it out alive of a devastating warzone, alone, on foot, and made it safely to Bratislava to stay with relatives. His mother & sick, immobilized grandmother are still in harm's way in Ukraine. 🙏🏼🕊️

Remarkable follow-up. Hassan was born in Syria, where his father was killed during Russian military strikes.

“We know this all too well. We fled Putin’s army from Syria when I was 12. We lived in Ukraine for eight years & now we're fleeing from Putin again.” — Hassan's brother

This article is in Hungarian, which cites an interview with Hassan's older brother, who is a university student in Bratislava, Slovakia.

To think this family faced Putin's cruelty in two different countries, spanning continents, is truly astounding.

telex.hu/kulfold/2022/0…

For those who wrote that he was welcomed because he was *white,* not everything is as simple as it seems. Slovakian Police has numerous videos with African & Arab refugees who've been warmly received at the border, as was this Syrian little boy. 🙏🏼🕊️❤️

facebook.com/policiaslovaki…