InternationalOjen Fantazian: a survivor and an inspiration
Published: Thursday February 26, 2009
Arlington, Mass. - Ojen Fantazian is not your ordinary Armenian Genocide survivor.
She continues to live a brisk independent life inside her modest home just outside this Boston community.
She does her own cooking and housekeeping, tends to visitors, and makes it a point to continue attending commemorations and other assorted functions.
To say she's an amazing 95-year-old is putting it mildly.
Ojen is among the few who turn out each Armenian Martyrs' Day to pay tribute to others of her kind. The number of survivors has dwindled to 10 in Merrimack Valley. Two or three show up, health willing. She makes her presence felt.
At the ripe age of 91, she took it upon herself to address an auditorium filled with students at a neighboring high school. The venerable spokeswoman captured headlines for recounting her escape during a "day of remembrance."
The banner that day read: "Armenian tells of flight from Turkish forces."
During the 30-minute program, Fantazian traced her ordeal back to the genocidal years of 1915-1923 when she fled in a horse and wagon at the age of 5 from her village of Chimichgaidzag.
With her grandmother, mother, uncle, aunt, and two cousins in tow, she traveled across the Black Sea to escape the Ottoman Turk.
Killed during the onslaught was her father. Etched in her mind was the gruesome sight of mothers throwing their babies into the river.
"The women did this so their children would not be raised by Turks," she told the gathering of 200. "It was an ugly thing. My mother had given it a thought but changed her mind."
Fantazian told the students how her family joined a group of Armenian soldiers. She remembered freight trains and running, along with the year she had spent in an orphanage. She and her family landed on Ellis Island in 1920 after being on a ship for two weeks.
"It was all about survival and hardship," she added. "I knew zero English when I came to America but like the others, I learned very quickly and taught myself to be resourceful."
The students were mesmerized by her dialogue. Fantazian said how her hair was cut off for fear of having lice. She wound up living with an uncle and eventually settled in Arlington, raising two active AYF children (Nancy and James) with her husband Harry, who died in 1975.
"She certainly gets her point across, even now," said her son. "Give her an opportunity to talk about her history and campaign for justice among the Armenians, my mother remains a true crusader. You have to admire her for that."
Widowed nearly 35 years, Ojen maintains a vibrant lifestyle. She attends St. Stephen's Church in Watertown when the opportunity presents itself, enjoys the picnics and the bazaars, and serves as an inspiration to the younger generation. At one time, she was an active member of the Ladies Guild. She taught her children Armenian and got them involved in church and community affairs.
In her prime, Ojen was a local Parent Teacher Organization president and served as a school volunteer for 10 years, helping teach English to young foreign students.
Her two children continue to be a source of pride. Nancy has made several goodwill trips to Armenia with the Armenian Relief Society to assist with much-needed services. James, an optometrist, has made two trips in recent years in an effort to improve the vision of impoverished Armenians living on the outskirts of Yerevan.
"I don't want to see my heritage ignored," said Fantazian. "It's very important to keep the younger generation informed. My age has nothing to do with it. Long as I feel healthy and willing, I want to serve my heritage."
Among the other missions Fantazian has fostered was donating what little money she could afford to charities. For years, she sent the Prelacy checks for orphans, always with an encouraging note.
Her giving was so genuine and straight from the heart. It still is.
