Father, Husband, Hero - Alex Leschenko

My name is Michael Balyasny and together with my colleagues from Attendify, we're fundraising on behalf of our friend, colleague, and brother, Alex Leschenko.

Alex lost his life defending Ukraine. The purpose of this fund is to support Alex's wife and two sons as they navigate this immensely difficult time. We share their grief with them and will miss him endlessly.

We are raising $50,000 to help with funeral expenses, pay the remainder of their mortgage and provide the financial runway they need (more information below). If you are donating from Ukraine a separate link is provided below.

How He Died

For the past year, Alex served in the Ukrainian armed forces. Initially, he was stationed outside Sumy which is just 15 km from the border with Russia. He was trained to be a demolitions expert and spent the past 9 months fortifying and protecting the area around Sumy.

Last week, Alex's unit was called into Bakhmut where the fiercest fighting is currently raging. After 3 days in action, Alex was tragically killed. Alex died as a true hero. When his friend Ihor Teslichko was shell-shocked and suffered a concussion on the battlefield, Alex spent 10 hours covering him so that Ihor could be evacuated. When Alex went to get more ammunition and resupply he was killed. To those that knew Alex, this is exactly who he was... Selfless, tireless, and kind. A true friend.

How He Lived

Alex was a colleague for the past 10 years and became a very close friend to many of us at Attendify.

We came to know his wife Olena and their two boys, Ivan and Tim. Alex was a wonderful father with a tough-love style who adored his kids. Alex never wore his emotions on his sleeve, but over the past year he never stopped sharing just how difficult it was to be away from them. Seeing his kids grow up without his presence was painful. Knowing how stressed Olena was caring for their two boys was heartbreaking.

As a colleague, Alex's immense talent and incomparable work ethic is the stuff of legend. He was a ball of energy, but with an uncanny ability to focus. He was truly a 10x product designer who combined technical skill with curiosity and vision to produce amazing work. He could put in a 10-hour day and then somehow find the energy to come home and tackle family projects like remodeling his new apartment. He didn't just design it, he physically built it himself.

Shortly before the war, Alex was working on a project to develop a smart mirror. He had an incredible vision for it and dove into hardware design like few others could. Within weeks he had parts from China, a prototype built out, an app designed and we were brainstorming marketing strategies. He had an incredible entrepreneurial spirit.

What He Means to Us

Alex is a friend, a colleague, a brother. He fell while defending our freedom, his family, and his friends. He's someone we all look up to, admire, and love. He was at the center of everything we did at work and became a real friend. That friendship and connection never goes away.

Alex, thank you for being part of our lives. It was a gift to know you and work with you. Making sure that your story is told and that those you loved most will be cared for is a responsibility we won't take lightly.

How the Funds will be Used

We're raising a minimum of $50,000+ for Alex's family to ease their financial burden. Alex was the sole provider in his family. Every dollar of your support will help Alex’s family cover all the immediate expenses and provide them the time they need to get back on their feet.

Thank you for reading this far and learning Alex's story. It's impossible to accept that he's gone. Alex, we miss you and we love you.

Donating from Ukraine:

If you live in Ukraine, please follow this link to donate via Monobank.