Stuck in the snow, flu and the sound of bombing in the background: Franky and Coen look back on their ninth and ‘most intense Ukraine trip to date’. The two fries bakers are back from their mission in the war country. “The air raid alarm went off more often than ever,” says Franky.
Collapsed bridges and the sound of explosions in the distant background, the films that the fries bakers show when they return home are impressive. Also during Christmas time, the two handed out about 9,500 fries and 7,500 snacks to war victims.
“An old lady, crying, told me she had lost her house.”
“Russia’s terrible attacks make many Ukrainians live in hell! We have seen that many people are really hungry because of this,” says Franky van Hintum from Helmond. “An old woman told me crying that she had lost her house.”
It was the ninth time that the duo went to Ukraine with their mobile chip cart. They stayed on the Polish-Ukrainian border for a number of trips, and four times they actually entered the war country. This is also the case now: on December 18, they arrived in the western city of Lviv, before continuing on to Bucha and the Kharkov region, among others.
“Alone and very far from home.”
The 54-year-old fries baker had been in bed with the flu for days and was therefore unable to bake. I felt very alone and far from home,” says Franky, still coughing slightly on the phone. “Fortunately, Coen saved the business and, together with volunteers, managed to keep the stall running.”
The snow made the journey even more difficult. The fries duo was stuck several times with their heavy trailer. Even when they were on their way to a children’s home. “The roads were impassable,” says Coen van Oosten (50) from Waspik. “For a moment I thought we were not going to make it. Local residents pulled us out of the snow with tow trucks.”
The two are full of stories after their journey. They’ve just been home for a few days. “At a military hospital, we distributed hundreds of French sausages, sweets and other treats. We also gave away 2500 gifts.”
Thumbs up is addictive.
Despite everything, the golden-yellow duo look back on their adventure with more than satisfaction, especially because of the reactions they received from refugees. Franky: “That’s something we can never feel in our normal lives. The smile when we give people a snack or a present is indescribable.”
The two are now going to rest for a few days before planning their next trip. “We want to go back anyway,” says Coen firmly. That is in February at the earliest. “It’s never done. The thumbs up are addictive.”
Coen made this vlog of his trip:
Waiting for privacy settings…
