Taxi Driver Brings Home 'Courage' Medal of Soldier Killed in Hadrut

A Facebook user, Hasmik Martirosyan, made a post stating that her nephew, who was killed in Hadrut, was awarded a 'Courage' medal, but it was brought home by a taxi driver.

“Robert is my sister’s son. He was awarded the posthumous Courage medal, which was handed over to his father by a taxi driver. They agreed to meet somewhere in the city, and it was given in a bag. I repeat: the Courage medal of an 18-year-old boy who was killed in Hadrut was handed by a taxi driver. A taxi driver. For what reason? In what manner? I have been trying to swallow this for days, but it is stuck in my throat and suffocating me slowly, very slowly. Do you understand that this way of bestowing an award resembles more a thrown piece of charity at the family’s face rather than gratitude? Do you realize that you are dishonoring these people’s grief more than honoring their child’s memory? I am not sure you understand. Do yourself a favor, and us as well, and do not give awards in this way anymore. Thank you, but please keep that award for yourselves,” she wrote.

The family learned about Robert’s award from the taxi driver, who called them to hand over the medal. “They gave a medal, and it was done with such clumsiness. An Armenian from Artsakh calls Ando (Robert's father), just a taxi driver. He says, ‘I’ll be under the bridge in 15 minutes.’ Ando goes and picks up the medal in a bag,” Robert’s mother, Nara Yeghiazaryan, recounts the details of receiving her son's award in an interview with infoport.am.