There have been many moments of silence in the years since Dasha Sakac unexpectedly lost her 22-year-old son Roman to a tragic accident. Those moments of silence are sometimes quiet, sometimes deafening, but always present. 

Amidst all of them, Sakac still hears the same question, repeated from those who knew her son so well — “How do you plan to honour his life?”

For years, the silence remained as her response. Now, a calling has taken shape, one rooted in her son’s quiet, generous spirit. In this Year of St. Francis of Assisi, Sakac is raising funds (and has set up a GoFundMe page) to restore a historic Franciscan church on the island of Badija in Croatia, turning her grief into a living act of faith, kindness and continuation. 

Advertisement

The church is officially known as the Franciscan Monastery on Badija, part of the Korčula Archipelago. Built over the 14th and 15th centuries, historically it's one of the many important Franciscan sites in the region.  

It’s a special place, as Sakac describes it. The island was first settled by monks seeking spiritual sanctuary in its tranquillity, home to the ruins of the 16th-century Church of St. Catherine as well as the Franciscan monastery’s historic church tower. Largely unknown apart from those who have visited or are familiar with the area’s history, centuries of faith and history remain there, including devotion to the Virgin Mary, which Sakac believes to have saved Korčula from an Ottoman invasion when a sudden, powerful storm halted Turkish fleets in 1571 as Franciscans and locals prayed to an icon of Our Lady of Mercy. 

As Sakac, a parishioner of Holy Martyrs of Japan in Bradford, puts it, the church is simply out of the ordinary — a one-in-a-million hidden gem with a living spirit and rich history that has captured her heart as a strong-faithed Slovak-Canadian. 

Speaking to The Catholic Register, she expressed how the site, in a way, mimics the spirit of her son.  

“He was so beyond normal, and he was such an incredible person,” she said. “ My son had a joy about him. He never complained, and he would simply help anyone who needed it. I always remember him being able to have a conversation with anyone, young or old — that was because he was someone who cared about people regardless.” 

Roman was creative and hands-on, she said, a lover of nature and animals, deeply family-oriented and socially gifted. She and her son were always together.

“We were like one hand,” Sakac said. “He would always take me to watch a movie or work on a project together — he was someone who loved his family.” 

Roman died after an unexpected accident on Sunday, September 4, 2022, at 22 years of age. 

Advertisement

When ideas like a commemorative bench, plaque or planted tree didn’t seem to live up to her son’s spirit of service, the ambitious task of church restoration, with hopes the historic site could once again become a place of prayer, community and sanctuary, began. 

The project has taken on an even deeper meaning, starting this year with Pope Leo XIV having declared it the Year of St. Francis of Assisi, a saint devoted to poverty, humility and service to the poor. 

Sakac says the project has allowed her to continue the good deeds Roman was known for and pass his kindness forward in an act just as much about remembrance as it is about finding personal peace. 

Alexa Paulos, a former classmate and friend of Roman, has also found the project to be particularly moving.

“Watching her turn something so painful into something that brings people together, supports others and keeps her son’s memory alive is very moving. This fundraiser reflects the impact he continues to have through her, and it’s reminded me that even in grief, there can still be purpose, connection and moments of light,” she said. 

To date, Sakac’s online fundraiser has brought in close to $5,000 towards its $25,000 goal, with proceeds going towards addressing structural safety issues such as roof deterioration and erosion.

As for how she’s managed to persevere throughout the bittersweet mission, Sakac gives the credit not to her own strength, but to the Holy Spirit. 

“ I don't think it's me. I feel like somebody is telling me (what to do) and leading me. I cannot explain why, but this is what I feel in my heart,” she said.  

While funds will surely change the extent of future renovations, the love behind this mother’s initiative will remain unchanging. Through the restoration of the historic church, Sakac is not only honouring the memory of a loved one gone too soon, but actively carrying their charitable spirit forward with faithful persistence. 

Advertisement

“I just want to be the continuation of him right now,” she said softly. “I always want to say to him that I love him.” 

See gofundme.com.