“My family was completely devoted to the country,” says the mother of sergeant Arayik Ghahramanyan, who died in the 44-day war.
“We live in Stepanakert, right in the center, near the church: me, my husband and two sons. My husband was a soldier; he participated in the first war, now he is a military pensioner. My eldest son is studying in the seventh year of the military medical department of Yerevan State Medical University. And my younger son was drafted into the army when he became 18. He was supposed to finish his service in 2020 and come home, but the war started,” says Marine Ghahramanyan.
Araik was a sergeant, served in Jrakan. It is known that Arayik was killed along with 18 other soldiers near Martuni, where an anti-aircraft missile exploded on the vehicle transporting the boys to the front line.
The Ghahramanians could not find their son in Stepanakert, they decided to come to Armenia and continue the search here. “On November 7, we left Stepanakert, came to Armenia, went to all the morgues and hospitals here with my son and my husband. Every day we went to the forensic examination, one day I couldn’t stand it, I spoke a little differently, I said, ‘That’s enough, give me my child.’ I don’t know if my talking was the reason or not, but the next day they called and said, come and take your son. My husband and son entered. “My Aro was burned, but was recognizable,” says the mother of the dead soldier.
Araik was buried in Yerablur on December 5, 2020. His family now spends half of the month in their house in Stepanakert, and the other half of the month in Yerevan in a rented apartment, so that they can often visit Arayik’s grave.
Ani Gevorgyan