Chernobyl monsters

Ilya Danilov told me, "People think we living near Chernobyl are monsters," and he made this face to  show his point. "We are not monsters, we are people!"

Today is the 27th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster. Ilya Danilov was 18 when I took this photo. He's grown up in this post-Chernobyl land, living in Slavutych with his dad who works at the Chernobyl plant.

Last I talked to Ilya, he was trying to figure out a way to get out of Slavutych. 

My thoughts today are with all my friends from Chernobyl. Another year passes — may the next year be better for you than this one!