🚢 When 11-year-old Lydia escaped Russia on the last evacuation ship in 1920, she began documenting her extraordinary journey in beautiful handwritten diaries.

Tamara Buzyna Adams discovered her grandmother’s childhood diaries during COVID lockdown. What started as a mother-daughter translation project unveiled an incredible story: a young girl who lived on a refugee ship for two and a half years, finding joy and wonder even amid the chaos following the Russian Revolution.

Through meticulous research, Tamara pieced together not just dates and places, but a moving story of childhood resilience. Her most surprising discovery came when she decided to research the mysterious friends Lydia mentioned throughout her diaries - children with nicknames like "Zhenya" and "Kolya."

Lydia's story reveals how family histories preserved through a child's innocent perspective can illuminate our ancestors' humanity and inspire resilience across generations.

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Visit Tamara's website to see pictures of Lydia and her friends and for information about her book, Last Ship to Freedom:  https://www.tamarabuzynaadams.com/

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🎧 Ready to discover more stories that could transform your family connections? Subscribe to 'Stories That Live In Us' wherever you get your podcasts, and leave a review to help other families find their path to deeper connection through family history. Together, we're building a community of families committed to preserving and sharing the stories that matter most.

🖼️ Ready to turn your family discoveries into a beautiful conversation piece? Visit FamilyChartmasters.com to create a family tree chart that will help your family share stories for generations.

♥ Want more family history tips and inspiration? Follow me @CristaCowan on Instagram where I share behind-the-scenes looks at my own family discoveries and practical ways to uncover yours!