“Go, but I’m not giving my son up to foster care!” — Devoted Dejan is fighting like a lion for his son Luka (13) who suffers from muscular dystrophy!

“She simply didn’t want to care for him anymore. She told me she’d leave if we didn’t put him in a foster care. I told her: ‘Go then, but I am never giving up my son!’”

Little Luka Nikolov (13) suffers from muscular dystrophy, accompanied by muscle atrophy, epilepsy, and other health complications. His condition is, unfortunately, incurable; he is bedridden and requires around-the-clock care. His father, Dejan, is willing to do anything for him, spending his days in the forest performing grueling physical labor just to keep the family afloat.

“There are no ‘mine’ or ‘his’ children—we are one family!”

Since separating from his ex-wife, Dejan has built a life with Žaklina, who brought three children from her first marriage: Nikolina (12), Jovan (9), and Una (8). Together, they have three more: Vasilije (5), Andrej (3), and Darija (2). Believe it or not, they are expecting their eighth child in late April!

“In our house, there is no such thing as ‘my’ kids and ‘his’ kids; we are one cohesive family. The children are inseparable from Luka, they keep him company, read to him, sing together… Sadly, because of his condition, he cannot feed himself or read on his own. We always have to be by his side,” says the mother, Žaklina. She is a woman truly deserving of respect; not only does she care for all the children, but she also takes orders to bake pastries, cookies, and cakes, and even helps Dejan with woodcutting during the summer.

“What am I supposed to do?”

Luka is a truly endearing boy who left a deep impression on all of us. Despite his health struggles, he has a bright spirit and a great sense of humor. He even insisted on being interviewed. He didn’t want his voice to stay confined to the small room where he spends his days; he wanted it to echo around the world!

“When the others are doing their homework, I’m just lying here by myself. What am I supposed to do? I can’t even sit for 20 minutes before my back starts hurting and they have to put me back in bed. A teacher visits once a week, and we practice letters and numbers, or do some drawing. I love math, English, geography, and history—actually, I love all the subjects. My uncle comes to cut my hair, too. He earns some money and brings us chocolates. He’s a good uncle; he listens to all of us,” Luka shared, adding cutely that he loves Belgrade, but it’s just too far away.

“Life as a tenant is hard, so incredibly hard!”

The Nikolov family does not own a home. They have moved multiple times, searching for any place that can accommodate such a large family. Luka’s condition eventually forced them to move to Beli Breg, near Leskovac, where there is a school for students with developmental disabilities. Living in rentals is never easy, but for them, it is a constant struggle. They dream of having their own small house in a village with a yard and space for animals.

“Mom told us you were coming to ask what we wanted you to buy for us, so I got ready. I’d like to live in my own house and have a yard, so I can go outside and see what’s going on. And I want us to have animals; I adore them. I also need a comfortable wheelchair, this old one doesn’t fit me anymore, and I can’t get comfortable. I’d love to play and sit with the other kids more. And if you could somehow bring the singer Dragana Mirkovic for me to meet, that would be amazing,” Luka said, sharing his wishlist.

“I want to watch cartoons when I’m alone”

Though he cannot move, Luka’s every word hit us straight in the heart, moving us from laughter to sadness and leaving us with a powerful urge to give him everything he deserves. The conditions in the house where they currently live are far from adequate. They face biting cold, broken windows, water shortages, unpaid electricity bills, and countless other daily battles.

“I’d also love to have a TV in my room since the old one is broken. I want to watch cartoons when I’m alone,” he added.

“I’ve been working with wood since I was a boy!”

Daily wages from forestry work, a caregiver’s allowance, occasional extra income, and a meager alimony payment (about $75 a month), which they only started receiving a few months ago, are not nearly enough to cover basic monthly needs and the care of a child with a severe disability, let alone a permanent housing solution. Every day that the father cannot work (such as during bad weather) creates a massive hole in the family budget.

“I didn’t believe organizations like yours existed, but here you are. My wife is the one who follows your work; to be honest, I barely use my phone. When I get home at night, I play with the kids for a bit, and that’s it, work is always waiting. My whole life has been like this; I’ve been working with wood since I was a kid. If you can help, a house would mean everything because this is just too hard. I can’t solve this on my own,” Dejan pointed out.

Donate and become LUKA’S FRIEND!

While our story focused on Luka, every member of the wonderful Nikolov family deserves their own tribute, from the hardworking, self-sacrificing parents who are heroes in their own right, to the well-behaved children who help with everything. They are all united in their dream of a home for the whole family, but especially for Luka.

The Charity Organization Serbs for Serbs invites all people of goodwill to become LUKA’S FRIENDS through their donations!

YOU CAN DONATE THROUGH THE DONATION PLATFORM: www.srbizasrbe.org/donacije

SERBIA
1. SMS to 7763 (200 RSD)2. Account: 160-0000000279491-71, Banka Intesa
2. Pay Pal
3. Foreign currency account

REPUBLIC OF SRPSKA
1. Call 17763 (3 КМ)
2. Account: 56201281300241-58 (NLB bank)
3. Pay Pal

MONTENEGRO
1. Account: 510-91548-03 (CKG bank)
2. Pay Pal

USA
1. Donation platform (credit card, bank account)
2. Pay Pal
3. ZELLE: szsamerika@gmail.com
4.Check to: Serbs for Serbs, Po Box 34206 Chicago, IL 60634
*all donors exercise the right to tax deductions

CANADA
1. Pay Pal
2. Check to: Serbs for Serbs Canada, 635 The Queensway, Lower Level, Toronto, ON, M8Y 3B3
3. Е-transfer to: donate@serbsforserbs.ca
*all donors exercise the right to tax deductions

GERMANY
1. IBAN: DE87 7605 0101 0015 8913 36
2. Pay Pal
*all donors exercise the right to tax deductions

SWITZERLAND
1. Konto: 61-335679-5
IBAN:CH57 0900 0000 6133 5679 5
Hedwigstrasse 3, 8032 Zurich
2. Twint: donate.raisenow.io/stbdh
3. Pay Pal
*all donors exercise the right to tax deductions

AUSTRIA
1. IBAN:AT97 3200 0000 1036 4339
SWIFT/BIC: RLNWATWW
Customer: Organisation fuer humanitaere Hilfe in serbisch Srbi za Srbe
Kalvariengürtel 39/6, 8020 Graz Austria
2. Pay Pal
3. Call 0901 300 201 (3 Euro)

SWEDEN
1. SWISH: 1230 133 900
2. Pay Pal
3. Bank Giro: 5302-1077
4. Account: 5226 1060 858

NORWAY
1. VIPPS: 104 414
2. Pay Pal
3. Account: 1503 83 80483

AUSTRALIA
1. Donations via Bank Account:
BSB: 032-278
Account No: 878615
Bank: Westpac
2. Pay Pal
3. Donations via PayID
PayID Type: ABN
PayID: 57472783829
4. Donations via Cheque:
Check to Serbs for Serbs Inc, 18 Mantle Ave, North Richmond NSW 2754, Australia

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