He always had a smile on his face, his eyes were sad, but he was happy and very kind. This is how his aunt Shushan Hovsepyan describes Harutyun Lalayan, who died in the 44-Day War.

His mother, Anush Khachatryan tells She remembers the birth of her son and his short but heroic life.

“He was ready for everything, even if he didn’t know how to do something, if I asked him, he would say let’s do it. He did not complain about his work,” She said in the framework of “Immortal Victims of the Artsakh War” series of Iravaban.net.

Harutun was drafted into the army on 13 January, 2020. At first he served in Etchmiatsin, then he was moved to the occupied Republic of Artsakh and continued his service in Jrakan.

Harutyun’s cousin, Hovik Hovsepyan, said that they served together in Etchmiatsin.

“He was a disciplined soldier, that was  why he was awarded a medal. When there were talks that we should move to Artsakh, he said, Etchmiadzin is a kindergarten for us, we should serve in Artsakh,” the cousin says.

The aunt remembers that when she had another phone call with her sister’s son, he said that he liked the service very much and wanted to continue after finishing the service.

His mother, Gayane Lalayan, says that she learned from the TV that the war has started. She succeeded to contact her son two days later.

“He said: we are in the bunker, we are not going to the front line, be calm, everything is normal, there is simply no connection, we cannot charge the phones, and that is why will call later. He didn’t tell anything,” his mother said.

While talking to his aunt, he said that everything is fine.

“I said: Dear Harut, don’t call me, I’m afraid I’ll take you away. He said, “Aunt, aunt, who are you afraid of, the Turk, who is afraid of the Turk, don’t be afraid, everything is fine,” Mrs. Shushan says.

Harutyun Lalayan died in the battles for the homeland on 6 October, 2020, on his birthday.

Details in the video.

Hasmik Sargsyan