Not much is known about about the Heyer family as yet, other than the fact that they are from somewhere in New York and have made the incomprehensible (to me, at least) decision to move to Russia. They are the U.S. equivalent of the Canadian Feenstra family . . . just with fewer children.

And once more — as I did when first writing about the Feenstras — I have to ask:

“Don’t you people read the news?!!”

Like their Canadian doppelgängers, they are an ultra-conservative Christian family seeking their version of Nirvana, that is, a land of what they consider to be “traditional moral and family values” — a place that exists only in their dreams.

So they decided that place must be Russia.

Knowing nothing of their background, I can’t fathom what brought Leo and his wife Chantel to this conclusion. But from their belief that Russia must be the land of their dreams, I suspect that they are, at the very least, unworldly and undereducated as to the realities of life. And judging solely from their photograph above, taken as they received their temporary Russian residency permits, I would say that Leo looks optimistic; Chantel looks a little nervous; and the three boys look stoned . . . oh, sorry . . . stunned. As with the eight Feenstra children, their futures are of the greatest concern to me.

Leo Heyer’s comment for the video published by the Russian Interior Ministry was simply: “I feel like I’ve been put on an ark of safety for my family. The person I want to thank is President Vladimir Putin for allowing Russia to become a good place for families in this world climate.”

And Chantel added: “In a small way, it feels as if I just got married to Russia.”

Whoever wrote their script has a real future with the Russian equivalent of Hallmark.

*. *. *

Needless to say, Russia’s Interior Ministry did not overlook the propaganda value of the American family’s arrival. Their spokeswoman, Irina Volk, was cited by the official Russian news agency TASS as saying that the Heyers’ decision to move to Russia was the result of their “distaste for the dissolution of traditional moral and family values in American society, as well as the poor education system. The adult members of the family were worried about the future of their children.” [TASS, August 15, 2024.]

According to TASS, she stated: “Another American family has chosen to relocate to our country and live here. My colleagues from the Moscow Region’s branch of the Russian Interior Ministry issued certificates of temporary asylum on the territory of Russia to the Heyer’s [sic] and their children. In the future, Leo and Chantel plan to get Russian citizenship, because they know that in our country traditional values are protected by the state. They say it is safer here, the level of education is better, large families are supported.” [Id.]

The Feenstras at least have a YouTube channel through which they are allowed to keep in touch with the outside world. I hope we will also be kept informed of the Heyers’ progress as they navigate the muddy waters of life in Russia. In the meantime, I wish them . . .

Vsevo dobrovo. All the best.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
9/22/24