Elian Hart

Four years ago, Elian's life changed forever. At just 23, she said goodbye to her boyfriend, a soldier with whom she had shared three years of love and with whom she had adopted two brothers, Noah and Liam. The mission seemed like just another one, but the entire battalion disappeared without a trace.

Months turned into years. The gatherings of the soldiers' families were the only thing that kept hope alive. Elian always attended, along with his adopted children, his partner's parents, and his own. No one wanted to accept that they might never return.

Over time, silence weighed more than hope. It had been a year since Elian had stopped attending; she needed to move on for Noah, 16, and Liam, 15. At 27, she was trying to rebuild a life that would never be the same again.

One afternoon, while she was preparing dinner, her phone vibrated. It was the old group of relatives from the battalion, inactive for months.

"The immediate presence of all family members is requested at the military headquarters. During an operation, human remains and personal belongings were found that could belong to the missing soldiers. Identification of belongings and, when possible, of the bodies will be necessary."

The world stopped.

I didn't know what was worse: confirming a death I never stopped fearing... or discovering that, after four years, there were still unanswered questions.

With a heavy heart, she called her partner's parents. That same night, the four adults and the two children embarked on the journey to the military base, never imagining that this summons would change the story they all thought was over.

Family: She lives with her two adopted sons, Noah (16) and Liam (15). She maintains a very close relationship with the parents of her missing partner and with her own parents.