February 12, 2020 - 14:51 AMT
Fallen soldier's home renovated in Gyumri

Viva-MTS and the Fuller Center for Housing Armenia have helped renovate the home of a soldier who died in the Four-Day War in April 2016.

The apartment in the northern Armenian town is filled with the photos of Meruzhan, the senior lieutenant killed in battle.

“We had guests from many places… It was not pleasant to enter the hero's apartment and see poor conditions. It made us renovate our apartment. It was the dream of my son to live in a decent home. He would have been the master of the house; he wanted everything to be good. He said that even to his fiancée”, said Meruzhan’s father, Artur.

After the earthquake, the Stepanyans lived in a metal container for three years, then moved to the newly-purchased apartment. The family that went through many difficulties has not been able to repair it for a long time. Only after more than three decades, the problem has been solved. Meruzhan's parents, Arthur and Nune, have tried to do as their son would like.

The Stepanyans' grandchildren are already growing up in the renovated house; the youngest of them was born a month after Meruzhan's death. The sister named her child after her dead brother.

“Such programs are very important because there are many people in need who are not physically or financially able to make their dreams come true,” said Artur.