[Ukraine] "Sir Elton John Rescues Ukrainian Boy He Once Wanted To Adopt" by by Jean Ann Esselink

If it is true that no man stands so tall as when he stoops to help a child, then today, Sir Elton stands ten feet tall.

In 2009, Elton John and his (then) partner David Furnish fell in love with a baby named Lev Ageyev. Lev's mother, Marina, was an alcoholic, and HIV positive, (she died in 2010) as was Lev's two-year-old brother Artyom. Their grandmother, Yulia, loved the boys, but did not have the resources to take care of them, so baby Lev was sent to an orphanage.

Elton and David were visiting that orphanage in Mariupol, Ukraine, when they were captivated by baby Lev. (That's them with Lev in the photo above.) They expressed an interest in adopting him, but were turned down. Ukraine does not allow gay men to adopt, and Elton's age was a problem. But even though they were turned away, Elton and David promised to find Lev a home in his own country and to send financial support. That promise allowed the boys' grandmother to take her grandsons in.

That was the first time Elton John rescued Lev Ageyev.

Then came the war. Life in Mariupol has become dangerous for five-year-old Lev and seven-year-old Artyom. Desperate to find a way out, the boys' grandmother Yulia, made this public plea to Sir Elton:

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