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An old yard and a small house on Abovyan street in Yerevan– this is where hero Adam Sahakyan spent his childhood and adolescence, surrounded with love and warmth.

August 19 marks the birthday anniversary of 2016 April war hero Adam Sahakyan. The fallen hero would turn 21 years old today.

Born on August 19, 1996, Adam was the third son born to the Sahakyans family. Everything in their house reminds of Adam, even half-dilapidated railings or the 120-year old door of the house. Adam loved his backyard, the environment where he was living, everything that surrounded him. He especially loved the fact that he could end up in the Yerevan downtown after taking a few steps.

Today, something very important and irreplaceable is missing in their yard…

The walls of the warm and hospitable house of the Sahakyan family features Adam’s photos, Adam is everywhere and there is an impression one is about to hear his voice.

Adam was an active, energetic child. As his parents tell, their son was in constant motion, always rushing to get most of his life.

During the school years, Adam already participated in multiple sports and took up a special interest in karate, boxing, swimming and skating.

“He was a sportsman by nature. Athletes have an unwritten law that they never retreat. Perhaps this was the reason he refused to retreat on April 2 and maintained the posts till his last breath,” says Mrs. Gayane, the hero’s mother.

During his studies at high school, Adam took part in an exhibition, after which he made up his mind to pursue the profession of an architectural designer. After leaving school, he entered the Armenian National University of Architecture and Construction with high scores.

Mrs. Gayane showed us the chair where Adam used to sit.

“He came home, wore his headphones and began drawing,” the mother says, pointing to his son’s graphic works posted on the walls that he made during his studies at university. Although the works are not perfect, each piece of work is precious and invaluable to them.

During his childhood, Adam celebrated his birthdays surrounded with his family members and relatives. During the teenage years already, he used to celebrate them with his friends.

The mother thinks back to August 19, 2015, when Adam marked his 19th birthday in the Armenian army. Adam called in the morning to talk to his parents and brother, receiving birthday wishes from them. A taciturn young man, Adam only told his parents he was moving to the frontline positions with his unit. He last celebrated his birthday in the posts with his co-servicemen with whom Adam fought till the very last drop of blood, heroically falling on April 2.

Adam’s parents cannot reconcile themselves with his death until now. However, they feel gratitude when seeing everyone, including strangers, remember their son.

“People at different age groups visit us, telling that they should live a life worthy to Adam’s sacrifice. It is certainly very hard to me; I wish he were here, by my side. However, after thinking hard I realize that Adam, who was full of life, who did not differ from many people and meantime differed, was born to become a hero,” says Mrs. Gayane.

Adam Sahakyan began his military service on 26 January 2015, serving at Jabrayil in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) republic. In the morning of April 1, 2016, he moved to the frontline positions, with the Azerbaijani military launching a large-scale attack towards the Armenian positions on the night of April 1-2. Being in the 112 combat position in Jabrayil, Adam leaded the battle by his unit of 7 servicemen and maintained the position for 4-5 hours, thwarting the enemy and inflicting major losses to them. He struggled to the very last drop of blood and fell in heroic death at 8:00 a.m.

Adam Sahakyan was posthumously awarded with the “Military Merit” Medal by Decree of the Artsakh President Bako Sahakyan and the medal of “Valor” by decree of the Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.

To remind, the Azerbaijani armed forces unleashed a large-scale offensive along the Artsakh-Azerbaijan line of contact at the night of April 1 to April 2. The defense installations of the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army and civilian settlements came under heavy bombardment by artillery, tanks, armored vehicles, multiple rocket launchers, and air force along the Line of Contact and deep inside the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Azerbaijani Armed Forces in the course of their recent large-scale military offensive, intentionally targeted civilian infrastructures and civilian population, including children and the elderly. The Azerbaijani military beheaded three Armenian servicemen in ISIL style.

Those barbaric acts go beyond elementary norms of civilized world, constituting violations of core international conventions.