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A Soldier’s Story: A New House Without a Husband and a Dad Is No Home

By Gayaneh Sargsyan

Every morning, three year-old Ani asks the following of her mother – “Mam, let’s go to our house and greet daddy.”

Karen Davtyan, the little girl’s father died on April 6 in Karvatchar, while serving in the Artsakh Defense Army.

Ani’s brother, one year-old Argishti, still can’t talk that well. Instead, he quickly finds his father in a bunch of photos and constantly kisses the image.

Little Ani and Argishti are temporarily staying at their grandfather’s house in Aznvadzor.

25 year-old Marineh, the children’s mother, recounts how she first met Karen.

“He was my brother’s friend. They served together. One day, he came to our house and took a fancy to me. But he thought I wouldn’t choose him. He was ten years older than I. He said he’d take care of me like a child. And he did. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for me,” says Marineh, unable to hold back her emotions.

They were married for four happy years.

“Wherever he worked, he was dedicated to the job. On his days off from military service, he’d work in a bakery. I knew that he was respected, but I learnt much more about him after he died. He was something else,” she concludes.

It turns out that throughout his fourteen years of military service, Karen always aspired to become a sergeant.

“He always dreamt and talked about it. He waited for the promotion but never got it,” says Marineh.

“He would always go off to serve with enthusiasm and would tell me that all would be OK when he returned. But it all turned out bad,” Marineh remarks.

On the fateful day of his death, Karen proposed returning to the base via a much safer route. His buddies, however, chose another route.

A few days before, Karen had scolded one of his buddies who wanted to return by that same route.

“You weren’t married before, but now you have a family. If something happened to you, what will I say to your wife?” Marineh says Karen had told his buddy.

“Now, that buddy has come to me asking ‘what can I say to you?’” says Marineh, adding, “But I don’t expect answers from anyone.”

The war widow says that even during the fighting last month, Karen would tell her not to worry, that god was on his side.

After Karen’s death, an on-line fundraiser was organized for Marineh and the kids to obtain an apartment for them.

Marineh was touched by the attention and compassion shown them.

“Karen always dreamt of having an apartment of his own. Now, we’ll have one, but without Karen its walls will be cold,” Marineh says.

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