In his book Ahora y en la hora (2025), Colombian writer Héctor Abad Faciolince explains why he traveled to Kramatorsk, a city 20 km from the front lines, in 2023. It’s one thing to want to go and offer support and participate in cultural events, but what’s the point of visiting a pizzeria on the front lines? Abad’s adult children almost murdered him after they found out the risk their old Dad had taken.
Curiously, Abad’s children were the reason why he ended up almost perishing in a missile strike in Kramatorsk. The writer’s son and daughter are very left-wing. They were both past age thirty and decided not to procreate. Because climate change, because colonialism, because fascism. Because they were both infantile drama queens, in short. Abad felt that it was easier to die and not face the horror of his own children being… this. Obviously, he doesn’t criticize them in any way in his book. He’s a crazy Dad, completely in love with the silly old brats. But it’s such a sad story.
Still, Abad’s children aren’t completely immune to their father’s suffering. Or, at least, his daughter isn’t. Since Abad’s near-death experience in Ukraine, she gave birth to twins. The babies were severely premature, and Abad spent two months walking them around the hospital tied to his chest.
It ended well for the Abad family, and that’s always good.
Clarissa's Blog 