Vilnius Bids Farewell to Donatas Dubauskas, Known for Unique Style and Custom Bicycles

Vilnius is bidding farewell to Donatas Dubauskas, a figure remembered for his vibrant personality and distinctive style. A large number of people, including close family and colleagues, gathered on Saturday, August 15, to pay their respects. Since 4 PM, individuals carrying red and white flowers have been seen arriving at the funeral home to commemorate Dubauskas and wish him eternal rest. Inside the hall where he lies in state, a display featured his dates of birth and death, alongside a colorful photograph that captured his unique spirit. White roses and a lit candle accompanied the image. Dubauskas was notably recognized for his striking appearance, which made him a favorite subject for Vilnius photographers. He once told Delfi, "No one taught me this approach to life, influenced me, I have no painful or inappropriate experiences, nor do I have any role models to follow; I am my own role model. I have always lived my life and never thought that I looked or behaved differently. Others told me I was different. But I am who I am. My wife Greta is the same, together we are exceptional. We want to live freely. We are the kind of people who can afford to look the way we want every day. Other people's opinions are not important to us because we agree with our own opinion, so we don't need approval, advice, or instructions on how to live. A gray mass life is not our choice." He was also known as "Sleeping Bull" and for crafting unique bicycles. These custom creations found buyers in countries like Switzerland, France, and Germany, as Dubauskas noted that people abroad, while appearing ordinary, often possess a greater freedom of thought. He observed that Lithuanians tend to be more conservative, often concerned with what neighbors think, whereas people elsewhere live more naturally. "If someone is very interested in what others do and how they live, they are surrounded by similar people, and such people do not buy these kinds of bicycles and essentially fall into the general masses, although there are still significantly fewer of them than here. But what always delights us creators is that in such countries, an interesting, unique handmade product is very welcome, praised, valued, admired, and not gossiped about negatively," he explained.

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No one taught me this approach to life, influenced me, I have no painful or inappropriate experiences, nor do I have any role models to follow; I am my own role model. I have always lived my life and never thought that I looked or behaved differently. Others told me I was different. But I am who I am. My wife Greta is the same, together we are exceptional. We want to live freely. We are the kind of people who can afford to look the way we want every day. Other people's opinions are not important to us because we agree with our own opinion, so we don't need approval, advice, or instructions on how to live. A gray mass life is not our choice.