Elza Grigoryan, 77, a Stepanakert native, had two sons who were martyred in the Artsakh wars. She has 6 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. Mrs. Elza had been working in her Alyona shop in the central market of Stepanakert for years and enjoyed great fame.
“I am glad that God has given me the opportunity to see my grandchildren and great-grandchildren and to support them to the best of my ability. My sons gave their lives for the homeland so that we all could live and we are grateful to them and other martyrs who did not spare their lives for the sake of our salvation. My eldest son Ashot was the commandant of Stepanakert in the 90s. He was seriously wounded in one of the battles. I spared no effort and energy for my son’s recovery and rehabilitation. I asked my little son, Mher, not to get involved in the liberation struggle, because he was only 16 years old, but he said, “Mom, even the little ones can be useful in the liberation of the homeland, no matter what, don’t be afraid.” Mrs. Elsa told in a conversation with us.
Mher Grigoryan was included in the Hadrut Yerkrapah detachment at the age of 16. He was an excellent grenade launcher and had knocked out several tanks with his accurate shots. As part of a separate motorized rifle battalion, he participated in subsequent battles as the commander of the 2nd company. Mher Grigoryan was killed on July 19, 1992, in the defensive battle of Nerkin Horatagh in the Martakert region of NK. He was posthumously awarded the Order of the “Battle Cross” of the second degree and the medal “For the Liberation of Shushi”.
During the 44-Day War in 2020, our interlocutor’s eldest son, Ashot, decided to participate in the war at the age of 50. He had a 2nd degree disability, but he could not remain indifferent, especially since he was well acquainted with the defensive operations.
“My son came home in a hurry and urged us to gather our things quickly so that he could send us to Yerevan. Ashot already had 5 grandchildren and a 6th was about to be born. He asked me to take care of the younger ones, assuring me that he would join us later. Ashot had a disability and could avoid the service, but he was adamant. In Yerevan, we waited for his call every day. One day, during a video chat, we noticed a bandage on his hand – he was wounded. His son, Vacho, was next to his father and we were constantly in a state of tension. They fought for the entire 44-Day War, but two days before the ceasefire, they called us and informed that Ashot had been wounded and was being brought to Yerevan. My heart felt a bad thing, because if he had been just wounded, he would definitely have talked to me on the phone. We were very close to each other, he cared for me and always treated me with respect and dignity, setting an example for younger family members. He could not bear the surrender of Shushi, so he spared no effort to defend it and himself was martyred in the fortress city,” Mrs. Elsa presented full of grief.
Lieutenant Colonel of the Reserve Ashot Grigoryan was killed on November 7, on the outskirts of Shushi. He was buried on November 9, in the Yerablur military pantheon of Armenia. On November 17, Ashot’s 6th grandson was born, who was named after his grandfather. Mrs. Elsa, suppressing her pain and sorrow, immediately took up the care of the little one, her great-grandson. Two of her 6 great-grandchildren were named after her son Ashot.
After staying in Yerevan for a year, the bereaved mother, yielding to the pleading requests of her granddaughter Elsa, returned to Artsakh. Taking part in the care of her grandchildren gave her the strength to overcome her suffering, to be with her grandchildren and daughter, and to reopen her shop in Stepanakert at her advanced age. According to her, by God’s grace and strength, she started working again and tried to overcome the stressful situation since her sons had fought with dignity and sacrificed their lives for the sake of the homeland.
“On September 19, 2023, I was in the shop when the shelling began. We immediately took refuge in a local shelter with those in the market. After some time, I heard the voice of my grandson, Vacho, who was looking for me and calling me, ‘Grandma, grandma.’ He took me from there to their basement, and then to our house. There was chaos everywhere. Everyone was trying to find their relatives and children. People were terrified and the shelling did not stop. After some time, we gathered on the first floor of our house with our extended family and neighbors to face the ordeal together.
On September 25, we were sitting at dinner and suddenly we heard a loud rumble. We thought it was a thunderstorm, but then it turned out that the fuel depot had exploded. My grandson, 22-year-old David, was there. As a result of the explosion, when his hand, ear, hair, and clothes started to burn, he did not lose his composure, took off his clothes and, rolling on the ground, extinguished the fire and quickly got into the car and drove home. He did not want to go to the hospital, because so many people had received terrible burns that he preferred to be treated and cared for at home. My other grandson, Vacho, immediately went to the scene to help people and take them to the hospital,” my interlocutor presented the episodes of the One-Day war and its consequences. They were evacuated from Stepanakert on September 27. They had a very difficult journey, especially with young children. Now, with a rent of 350 thousand drams, they live in Yerevan, at the beginning with 18, then with 8 people. Mrs. Elsa and her daughter-in-law have health problems.
“The loss of my sons will not be compared to the loss of property. My loss is very great. God gave me the strength to endure these trials and even comfort my grandchildren. I entrust all my problems to God, pray and, gathering strength again, try to support my family in everything,” the 77-year-old mother of two sons who died in the Artsakh wars added at the end of our conversation.
Zara Mayilyan