Heroes Never Die: Maksym Stepanenko

"He pulled me away from the gate, said, 'Mom, if not us, then who?'—and went to the military registration and enlistment office," recalls Lyudmila Mikhailovna Stepanenko of her son.

Intent continues its series of articles about fallen defenders, “Heroes Never Die.”

Senior Private Maksym Viktorovych Stepanenko of the 123rd Brigade of the Territorial Defense Forces sustained fatal injuries on May 31, 2023, following enemy shelling of their positions. His mother, Lyudmila Mikhailovna; his sister, Nadiya; and his colleague and comrade-in-arms, Serhiy Dudaev, spoke about his life, his daughter Alina, his beloved dog Jack, Maxim’s ability to master any task, and his acts of friendship and bravery.

“Maksym was very friendly,” says Lyudmila Mikhailovna. “He always helped almost everyone who asked him for something. He also loved animals very much —cats, parrots, and fish. But most of all, he loved his Rottweiler named Jack.

And he really loved math—it just came naturally to him. Plus, he got along well with his teacher.

After school, Maxim trained to become a carpenter. My son had a knack for everything and could learn anything.

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PHOTO provided by interviewees

He had a fiery temper but was easygoing. And he was never afraid to tell the truth to someone’s face. When he worked on the railroad, his coworkers would often ask him, “Go talk to management—you’ll be able to tell them the whole truth.”

And he loved cleanliness very much. At that same railroad, management always sent inspection teams to him because they knew everything would always be in order there. And he did the repairs in the railcars himself.

He worked the longest alongside his friend Serhiy Dudaev; they installed heating systems. They were well known in the Mykolaiv region, and sometimes they were called in to work in Odesa as well.”

“I’m five and a half years older than Maksym,” says his sister Nadiya. “When I was growing up, I really wanted a little brother—that was my childhood dream.”

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PHOTO provided by the interviewees

Maksym grew up to be very honest and fair; he didn’t like it when people lied. And I suppose that’s just in our family’s blood.

In 2005, Maxim got married, and the following year, their daughter Alina was born. He and his wife later separated.

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PHOTO provided by interviewees

When the full-scale invasion began, Maksym made up his mind right away. When he was transferred to the front lines, I told him that he was Alina’s sole guardian. But my brother replied, “How will I be able to look my brothers-in-arms in the eye if I leave them behind?”

“I’ve known Maksym since I was about 15, even before the war,” says his comrade-in-arms Serhiy Dudaev. “We were neighbors, and we’d visit each other through the gate in the garden fence.

We worked together for six or seven years. He was quick-witted, smart, and hardworking. In the morning, we’d go to the store together for coffee, and then work all day, right up until evening.

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PHOTO provided by the interviewees

On February 24, 2022, we still had things to take care of. But the next day, we’d already decided to join the army. On the 26th, we went to the military recruitment office in the morning and got in line. They accepted us that evening.

We were immediately sent closer to the front, to the Mykolaiv region. Then we were stationed in the Kherson region, across the Dnipro River from the enemy. We frequently changed positions, dug new trenches, and set up observation posts. We both served as riflemen.

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PHOTO provided by the interviewees

“Maksym was very responsible. And in the military, he remained just as he was in civilian life—friendly and sociable.”

“On May 31, 2023, his daughter Alina was supposed to have her high school graduation,” Lyudmyla Mykhailivna continues. “We called each other twice that day, but the third time, he didn’t answer the phone. After he was wounded, they managed to get him to the hospital, but the doctors couldn’t save Maksym. My son did everything right, no matter how much it hurts me.”

“His friend Serhiy stayed with my brother until the very end,” adds Nadiya. “And our father went to the military registration office several times afterward. He said, ‘I want to avenge my son.’ He’s 75 now. There, they told him, ‘Grandpa, go home.’

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PHOTO provided by interviewees

“Maksym relieved me at the observation post,” recalls Serhiy Dudaev. “I went to rest; I was about 500 meters away from him. I heard over the radio that a strike had hit. A mine exploded very close by, and Maksym was wounded in the head. We ran over and began to evacuate him. We took him to the highway, where he was transferred to an ambulance. The doctors were able to restart Maksym’s heart, but they couldn’t save his life.

My friend and comrade was a true hero. He was one of those who went to defend the country in the very first days, without fear of losing everything.” 

Антон Терехов