From Cold Nights and Empty Plates to a Chance for a New Beginning

I was born into a life that placed obstacles in my path from the very beginning. While some children worried about toys or trips, I worried about whether I’d have food to eat, a place to wash, and how to earn a little money for a treat that others got without thinking twice.

 

Childhood Struggles

I was born in 1999 in Trnava, Slovakia. My arrival into the world was already complicated — my mother considered abortion because she didn’t want a child with my father.

When I was four years old, she had an accident that left her permanently in a wheelchair.

At six, on my way to school, I was in a serious car accident. I ended up with a moderate concussion and a broken leg, and doctors feared permanent consequences.

At eight, during swimming lessons, all the kids went to the pastry shop during breaks, but I couldn’t afford it. My grandmother gave me a pizza, which I sold to my classmates slice by slice. With the money, I finally bought sweets like the other kids. That was my strongest memory from childhood — the first time I realized I had to be resourceful to have what others had by default.

We lived very modestly. My mother in a wheelchair and my great-grandmother on a pension raised me on a shared income of around €600. Sometimes we had no gas or hot water, so we heated pots of water and poured them into the bathtub. We burned briquettes to stay warm, and in winter my great-grandmother would heat a roof tile and slip it into the bed so I wouldn’t freeze.

My father left when I was seven and was gone for two years.

My view then: I didn’t understand why life was so hard. I often felt lonely and misunderstood.

My view now: Those struggles taught me how to survive, be creative, and never give up.

 

Moving, Poverty, and Bullying

After we lost our house, we moved to Hlohovec, where we lived in office spaces converted into makeshift housing.

I played football in elementary school and later found passion in sports as an escape. But I also experienced years of bullying — fights and mockery.

My view then: I felt weak and unwanted.

My view now: I see now that it built my resilience and my drive to fight for my place in the world.

 

Teenage Years

I briefly lived with my mom, but when she couldn’t handle it, I moved in with my father. From age 13, I worked with him on construction sites during school breaks.

In high school, I discovered Thai boxing, which became my way of managing stress. I was among the better students, aiming to graduate in two foreign languages and go to university. But financially, it was impossible — my father mismanaged money, and I would have had to work daily just to survive.

In my final year, I arranged individual studies so I could care for my mom, who then lived in a shelter — a place that felt like a ghetto. From my food allowance, I often bought her groceries. Despite everything, I successfully graduated.

 

My view then: I felt exhausted but proud that I could support my mom.

My view now: That period gave me the courage and strength to stand on my own.

 

Losing My Mother

After school, I tried several jobs and sometimes worked with my father. Things briefly looked good — we had a large contract, and I earned above average. For the first time, I felt life was going in the right direction.

But then tragedy struck — my mom, the only person who always believed in me, passed away.

I’ll never forget the moment I found out. I was in a clothing store when my step-uncle called. He told me my mom had died and that I should go to the shelter where she lived. I remember an instant coldness flooding my body, my knees giving way, and an emptiness swallowing me whole. It was the first time I truly understood grief.

Building and Losing a Home

COVID-19 made everything worse — work was scarce and poorly paid. For a year and a half, I barely survived. Eventually, I left for Vienna, where I worked first as a painter and later as a tiler. I earned more but still not enough to fulfill my dream of a stable home and family.

Together with a childhood friend, we started a company. As a strategic step, I bought an apartment with a clear plan: buy, renovate, and sell for profit. I only stayed there while working abroad to fund the renovation.

But when my partner failed me, combined with financial struggles and health issues, everything collapsed. I was forced to sell the apartment and was left alone with debts and broken plans.

My view: I felt betrayed and exhausted, but today I know that even after every fall, I can still stand. Moving forward is the only way.

Where I Stand Today

I don’t dream of luxury. I dream of freedom from debt, of a home where I can raise a family, of time for sports and being a present father — and of living life on my own terms, without a boss above me.

This story shows that no matter how many hardships life throws at you, you should never stop trying to move forward.

 

What I Need Support For

 

At this moment, I need approximately €56,000, broken down as follows:

1. Debts and obligations – €36,000

bank loan, friends

• €1,000 – health insurance arrears

2. Health care – dental work – €9,000

• braces

• 2 implants

• cavity repairs

3. A new beginning – €10,000

• stable housing

• basic living needs

• investment into personal development and building a future family

 

Call for Support

Every contribution, no matter how small, brings me closer to standing on my own feet, building a stable future, and breaking free from the cycle of hardship.

 

👉 You can support me here: https://whydonate.com/sk/fundraising/from-hungry-days-and-cold-nights-to-a-chance-for-a-new-beginning