Roman Shulezhko left Ukraine in search of a fresh start, fulfilling what his mother described as his “most cherished childhood dream” — to travel and be creative, living a life without boundaries. Fluent in both Ukrainian and Russian, Shulezhko also spoke Polish and was studying English. After earning his degree in education, he spent several years in Poland working as a factory employee and delivery driver before arriving in Toronto on a Canadian work visa in March 2024.
“Roman was very cheerful and constantly studying,” said his mom Svetlana, communicating from their home in the village of Lypova Dolyna, a rural settlement in Romny Raion, Sumy Oblast in northeastern Ukraine. “Roman had a passion for tattooing and he was very good at it. He drew his tattoos perfectly and they came to life.
The tiger he made for his friend was as if it were alive and could move at any moment.” But just one year after arriving in Canada, the 32-year-old was found dead in a Niagara Falls park. On March 30, Svetlana and Shulezhko’s father, Anatoli, received a phone call from Niagara Regional Police.
They were told their son was deceased and had been sent to Toronto for an autopsy. “After such terrible news, everything ceased to exist, including problems and fears of war and everything that had been important until that day,” said Svetlana. “As for all parents, this is the meaning of life.
We don’t know what to do anymore, we don’t know how to live anymore either.” Rom.
