Ukrainian influencer helps Irish woman trace and bring Chernobyl 'brother' to Ireland after 20 years

Yaroslan and Tanya Sydoryshyn. Jennifer Drum said: "They were crying with relief because I had given them another option and a chance for their three young children." Photo: Seamus Farrelly

A Ukrainian Instagram influencer was instrumental in helping an Irish woman track down her Chernobyl 'brother' after nearly two decades and bring him home from the war-torn country. 

Jennifer Drum (38) had messaged more than 50 people on the social media platform with the same surname as the then-little boy Yaroslav (Yaro) Sydoryshyn who used to come to their Co. Meath home for summers from the age of nine, as part of the Chernobyl project.

It was a Ukrainian influencer with 75,000 followers who finally gave Jennifer the lifeline she longed for by linking her to Yaro's wife's page which led to the incredible journey back to Moynalvey, Summerhill.

Even though they hadn't seen each other in almost 20 years, Yaro still had with him some treasured pictures taken when he was a boy with his Irish family, and he brought them with him when he finally arrived in Dublin last weekend.

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"My mam and dad, Yvonne and Alex Miller opened their home at Johnstownbridge to Yaro in 2001 every summer for about four years as part of the Chernobyl project," said Jennifer.

"He stayed with us from when he was about nine to 13 years of age and we treated him as part of the family. Even though he never spoke English, we were always able to communicate with him 

"We often thought about him and a few weeks ago, just as the Ukraine invasion started, mam found one of the letters that his parents used to send us to let us know he was okay. I decided to try and find him. 

"So I started copying and pasting the letter in messages to everyone I could find on Instagram with the same surname as him - but I found out quickly that it was such a common surname that it was like messaging the name Murphy in Ireland.

"Amazingly, an influencer I messaged with the similar surname of Sydoryshyna knew of the family and put me in touch with Yaro's wife Tanya." 

Anastasia, the blogger, was no relation and had 75,000 followers. 

"I had to use Google translate because they have no English but I quickly found out that his work in Kyiv as a plasterer had dried up due to the war and he had no money to leave the Rivne District where he was living in a small village.

"His wages were €500 a month so you can imagine how grateful they were when I sent over €100 to help him leave for Poland. They were crying with relief because I had given them another option and a chance for their three young children.

A gofundme page for donations to bring Yaro to Ireland has reached more than €4,000 and any more donations will be sent to help other families.

Yaro Sydoryshyn, his wife Tanya and two of his three children, Roma four, and Anna, six, who are now living in Meath. Photo: Seamus Farrelly

"He is so proud and didn't want to take my money or take on refugee status. He even killed all his livestock before he left and gave them to his family and friends so they would have food.

"He was so worried about how he would be treated at the border but was overwhelmed by the kindness shown to him and his family.

"We met them at the airport on Saturday and it was like seeing the little boy Yaro getting off the plane again - even though he is now 31 years old.

"He was so relieved to be here and brought with him pictures he had kept all these years of his time here with my family.

Jennifer has put Yaro and his family up in her converted attic and two spare rooms in her home while her husband Jordan, who is an insulator, will be able to offer him a job.

"He and Tanya have three kids who are six, four and one and it will be so good for my own kids to interact with them because they are thankful and mindful for everything they get. I brought them to Smyths and their eyes just lit up.

They didn't even know what a toaster or tumble dryer was when they got here and they are constantly thanking us for our help.

"We never thought when we dropped him off at the airport for the last time when he was 12, that we would be rescuing him from a war 20 years later.

"My parents opened their home to him back then and now it's my turn to open my home to him and his family for as long as they need."