Bald: Father's Day And The Children Who Will Never See Theirs Again

By GEORGE BALD, InDepth NH

Father’s Day in America is often a simple, joyful ritual: backyard cookouts, handmade cards, fishing trips or phone calls to dads who live too far away to hug in person. It’s a day when we pause to appreciate the men who raised us, guided us, and stood beside us. But this year, as we celebrate, it’s worth remembering the children for whom this day brings not celebration, but silence.

In Ukraine, thousands of children will grow up without their fathers because of Russia’s war. Some lost their dads on the front lines. Others saw their fathers taken from them in occupied territories. Many will never know the sound of their father’s voice or the warmth of his hand on their shoulder. Their childhoods have been reshaped by grief, uncertainty, and a conflict they did nothing to cause.

It is impossible to imagine the weight these children carry. While American kids spend Father’s Day tossing baseballs in the yard or piling into the car for ice cream, Ukrainian children are learning to navigate a world where the person who should have protected them is gone forever. Their fathers’ absence is not the result of illness or age, but of violence and injustice.

And yet, amid this heartbreak, there is resilience. Ukrainian families continue to rebuild their lives. Communities rally around the fatherless. Volunteers, such as the Common Man for Ukraine, raise funds to support a retreat for 30 children every month. The retreat helps children deal with the trauma of losing a father. The CMFU also delivers tons of food, clothing, and hope. These acts of solidarity do not replace a father’s love, but they remind these children that they are not forgotten.

Father’s Day is a moment to honor the men in our own lives. But it can also be a moment to widen our circle of compassion. We are fortunate in this country to live in relative peace, to raise our children without the daily fear of invasion, drones or bombardment. That good fortune should not make us complacent; it should make us compassionate and generous.

As we celebrate our fathers, let us also hold space for the children who cannot. Let us remember that freedom is not universal, that safety is not guaranteed, and that the simple privilege of growing up with a father is something millions of children around the world will never know.

George Bald
Rochester, NH
George is a father, and on the Board of Advisors to the Common Man for Ukraine

This article first appeared on InDepthNH.org and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.