Mississauga man who survived the Holodomor celebrates 107th birthday - BERITAJA

A Mississauga man who survived the Holodomor, a man-made famine successful Soviet Ukraine that killed millions of Ukrainians from 1932 to 1933, celebrated his 107th day Tuesday and reflected connected his travel to scope Canada.

Iwan Winniczuk lives astatine the Ivan Franko Seniors’ Residence successful Mississauga and said it’s his resilience and endurance instincts that allowed him to scope centenarian status.

He grew up successful Ukraine and endured the Holodomor. Scholars astatine the University of Alberta who study the famine picture it arsenic a shape of governmental unit by the then-Soviet Union that targeted marginalized populations.

Dozens of group came to the seniors’ residence to observe Winniczuk. He strolled into the room utilizing a walker and clapped alongside his family erstwhile he was presented pinch a ample slab cake.

At the property of 15, Winniczuk faced displacement arsenic he and his family were deported to Siberia. He was later drafted into the Russian service successful 1941. He said that’s erstwhile his mother told him thing he ne'er forgot.

“His mother makes it perfectly clear: if you time off here, you spell successful 1 guidance and ne'er travel back. Look for state and peace,” said Tom Terentiew, Winniczuk’s son-in-law.

Following that advice, Winniczuk ended up successful Germany, serving arsenic an service mechanic.

“He’s told maine truthful galore stories of really he evaded getting captured…but he had an agenda. His schedule was, ‘I’ll do everything I could to support going west. I will ne'er return,'” he said.

Winniczuk met his woman successful Germany. They were joined successful 1951 and that aforesaid year, they arrived successful Canada. The brace settled successful London, Ont., and welcomed their girl a fewer years later.

But Winniczuk ne'er forgot his Ukrainian roots. “He helped build the church, the Ukrainian Centre; he helped build the Ukrainian Centre, he helped build the Ukrainian Resort Club, said Terentiew.

Now astatine 107, Winniczuk has aimed to stock his Ukrainian practice pinch his 2 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.

“Being capable to pass successful that connection pinch him and having that typical enslaved complete the civilization and everything is really special,” said Natalya Viznyak, his great-granddaughter.

He’s besides remained independent complete the years on pinch surviving a agelong life. Luca Terentiew, Winniczuk’s great-grandson, said the proposal is ever to enactment patient and support active. “He always, moreover now, he walks a lot,” said Luca.

Staying distant from drinking and smoking, on pinch staying adjacent pinch family, is apt what has held him done the years, said Tom Terentiew.