Tasos Halkias: '54 years, I was a child and I grew old' – Poem for his home lost in fire

Greek actor Tasos Halkias has shared a deeply moving poem reflecting his devastation after a recent fire completely destroyed his home in Porto Germeno. The actor, visibly heartbroken, described his profound connection to the house where he had spent 54 years of his life.

"Fifty-four years. I was a child and I grew old," Halkias stated, recalling the home where his son was born and grew up, and his daughter likewise. He expressed the difficulty of articulating the loss, emphasizing his pride in building a life and leaving something for his children, a legacy now lost to the flames.

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Fifty-four years. I was a child and I grew old. My son was born here and played here for the first time. My daughter the same. What should I say first and what should I do first?

The poem, titled "Staying Awake," attempts to capture the essence of his loss, memories, and emotional ties to the house. It speaks of moving forward despite immense loss, urging resilience and the transformation of pain into strength. Halkias shared the poem on social media days after the destructive fire, offering a glimpse into his personal grief and his struggle to come to terms with the destruction of his lifelong home.

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And just when I was proud, 'I will leave something for my children,' the poor son of a worker, not for anyone to pity me, I say it with pride, who managed in his life to do these things and leave something, I cannot leave this something.