Paphos couple overwhelmed by readers’ Christmas response

A PAPHOS couple struggling to bring up a deceased relative’s children as their own have been overwhelmed by the public’s response offering help, following a piece in the Sunday Mail on December 3, highlighting their plight.
Blaga Petkova told the newspaper that the kindness from strangers has been overwhelming.
“This Christmas will be more special for all of us because of the help from people that we don’t know and because of all of the attention,” she said. “I can’t explain how happy this has made me feel.”
Metal shop worker Nikola Nikolov and his wife, Blaga Petkova, made a promise to his dying sister to bring up her children as his own, and as he is the only working member of his family, it is proving difficult.
The 40-year-old Bulgarian mother of six died last year in Paphos after being diagnosed with terminal cancer, which had already spread to her bones at the time of diagnosis. Only recently have the couple received any money from the state to help support the four of her children who are living with them.
The couple, along with Nikolov’s sister, moved to Paphos four years ago from Malta in search of a better life. The pair have his sister’s 22-year-old daughter living with them, as well as Niko, 13, Eleni, 10, and eight-year-old Dimitri.
The response from Sunday Mail readers following the article has been staggering with dozens of people, both members of the public and organisations, contacting the newspaper with offers of help.
A number of Christmas presents were donated to the family and their aunt has given half of them to the excited children already, keeping the rest for Christmas Day.
“They have had Lego, sweets and puzzles and Nico was given a guitar. The attention and love is helping them to heal,” she said.
Their aunt said that all of the children were ‘very happy’ to know that people care about them, even though they are still grieving for their mother.
“But this kindness is helping,” she said.
The 12 months since his sister’s death have been emotionally and financially difficult, said Nikola, and were made so much worse as it took that long for the state to approve social welfare payments to help feed the children.
“They are like our own children and we love them so much, they are so sweet,” said Blaga.
The entire family were also nominated for this year’s Hearts of Gold Cyprus Awards and were greeted with rapturous applause by the audience.
“I felt very shy, we all did, but it was a lovely experience for us all,” she said.
The family will spend Christmas at home, enjoying some traditional Bulgarian food as well as a hamper of donated goodies including a turkey crown.