Twin baby boys born to Chicago-area parents via a surrogate in Ukraine are now safe in Poland after an incredible journey.
Lenny and Moishe were born premature in Kiev, Ukraine on the day after Russia invaded the country, according to their father, Sasha Spektor.
“Every day we would contact about a hundred people just constantly trying to make sure that the boys have supplies, the proper supplies that they needed,” Spektor said.
Spektor and his partner, Irma, were in the United States and relied on coordination and volunteers from VECINA and Project Dynamo to transport the twins and their surrogate from Kiev to Poland.
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“It was amazing team of people, including doctors, drivers, translators, an ambulance team,” Spektor said.
Spektor said it took the volunteers 18 hours to get to Poland with the twins, and they passed about 30 checkpoints.
Spektor, who is originally from Ukraine and grew up in Chicago, is now in Poland with the twins. Irma is scheduled to arrive in Poland soon.
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“The doctors say that they’re all good, that all they need is to learn how to feed on their own and their tubes actually were removed as of today,” Spektor said.
Spektor and Irma split time living in Evanston and in Georgia, where Spektor is a university professor. He said the plan is to raise the twins in Evanston, at least for the first year.
“For me, Chicago is best in the summer. I want to take them to the lake,” Spektor said. “I want to dip them in Lake Michigan and, yeah, just be with them.”
Spektor said they plan to take the surrogate wherever she wants to go once she is reunited with her son.
