Tribute to Anton Harbuz: Ukrainian Hero and Project Manager at Syndicode

No words can describe my attitude to Anton Harbuz, whom I used to call Toha. People like Toha get into your heart very quickly and stay forever. We met at the fishing team building in Poltava. I immediately understood that he is a very sociable person who can support any conversation, smart and clever, cheerful, but super serious and focused when needed. His philosophy of life really resonates with mine, so we became friends. I remember every our meeting, every dialogue, every sporting or fishing event with him… How we played tennis, how he loved salo from Poltava… how every time we met, he was impatiently waiting for the opportunity to have a Poltavian shisha.

I remember how we were fishing in a boat on the Dnipro. He talked a lot about his family, his daughter whom he loved immensely, his childhood, his service in the army, and, of course, about fishing. On the way to the shore, Toha found poachers’ nets in the water, and we cut them in front of the poachers and released the fish.

Everyone knew that Toha was a brave person, a person with principles. Therefore, I was not surprised that in the first days of the full-scale war, Toha was already on the Military Committee. He said that he had been preparing since 2014 and understood that the war was irreversible. On September 25, 2022, we went on our last fishing trip. Having already visited the front, in the hottest spots, he talked about this experience without emotion. Like a real fighter – a soldier who has no right to doubt, fear, and the rest of the feelings that a civilian has the luxury of feeling every day.

After heavy battles in Bakhmut and another rotation, on the way to the same hellish Bakhmut, we met for the last time just for 5-10 minutes. I was very happy to see him. Toha told me to look for the next place for fishing. We laughed and joked a bit. He rode in a convoy of 5-6 buses with his comrades in arms.

I asked him if all fighters are in a fighting spirit, he answered: “Not all are in a fighting spirit, but all are fighters.”

We shook hands, hugged. I wished him luck. Then we took a selfie, Toha said it was for a “report to the customer”.

He maintained good, friendly relations with customers. He was a person with this superpower: after just one conversation with him, people had only positive emotions. A real manager at work but a warrior by nature.

I remember Toha every day, use his catchphrases every day, and every time I am saddened by realizing we will never see each other again. I am infinitely grateful to Anton’s family, especially his wife and daughter, for the honor of having such a friend. I believe that his sacrifice was not in vain and that everyone who knew Toha would remember him and support his family. Thank you. I won’t forget, bro.

I miss our conversations

— from Oleksandr Oliinyk, Ruby/JS Developer at Syndicode

Toha was always super positive. Sometimes I wondered how it is possible to always have such a great sense of humor in any situation. We lived in different cities; he was in Kyiv, and I am in Dnipro, but over the years, we had many bright moments together. I often remember how masterfully he organized all kinds of activities for us on vacation in Egypt (A True Manager!).

One morning, after a crazy night in nature, Anton and our colleague swam on boats in the heat to fish — he was very passionate about his various hobbies. He always had a cool setup for hiking, running, or fishing. It was really exciting for me to hear about all these tools he had. With Anton, things were always so easy, interesting, and fun.

I miss our conversations in my kitchen about life plans and so many other things that are just too hard to simply describe in writing.

His last words to me were, “Everything will be fine”

— from Ruslan Kotsiuruba, Ruby on Rails Developer at Syndicode, soldier of the Armed forces of Ukraine

I met Anton, strangely enough, in Syndicode’s office. At that time, I was already a part of the company, while Anton was just starting. He entered the office as a director, like a business partner of our boss, walked through the corridor, greeted everyone, and locked himself in the office with our CEO. “Pffff, what a cool pepper,” I thought. That was my first impression, and it remained unchanged forever. Anton was a really cool, self-confident, and fearless man. It is interesting that he deeply knew and understood many things from different subject areas:

• need an advice on cycling? – here you go.
• have a question about running? – I have something to tell you.
• you’re a fisherman? – Oh brother, you’ve come to the right place.
• buying tourist equipment? – I bought this tent, it’s really the best
• shall we talk about hookah? there are soooo many stuff here!
• gadgets? – my friend, don’t take that, but this one is really top!
• apple technology? – I will help you buy, sell, pick up, find.
• wanna coffee? – a new coffee shop has opened there, they have a coffee you can’t find anywhere.
  

In all these things, Anton knew so many little things and nuances. I even asked him – “Friend, where do you find the time to understand all this?” I never got a concrete answer, he just easily mastered everything he did.

I would like to mention him separately as a family man. The fire of love for his wife and daughter in his eyes could be seen a kilometer away on the darkest and most difficult days.

Neither fatigue, nor a bad mood, nor any worries or problems could shake him from being the golden head of his family. He was an example for us, that’s what he did best.

And it was so easy for him to be a good friend. When Toha is in the company, you know it will be good fun, never boring, and noisy. I loved spending time with him, always happy when we planned trips or vacations together. During one trip, we were in the Carpathians and he finally started skiing. He got super excited! It was difficult for him for several days, and finally he skied. I was lucky to share that moment of his happiness. Unfortunately, it was the last day of the trip, and ahead, there was a year of conversations, plans and dreams, which were destroyed by covid and diseases… and then the war. Which destroyed everything and forever.

The war changed Anton. Already after a few months of service, he added an extensive knowledge in tactical medicine, weapons, fighting in different conditions and in different areas to the list of skills that I listed above. As usual, he, as a lover of all kinds of gadgets, staff and various kinds of equipment, provided himself with all this at the highest level. He looked like a cool fighter and constantly developed himself in this direction.

Unfortunately, after seeing a lot of grief in the war, experiencing difficult events and battles, he himself changed a little. His circle of communication expanded, the eyes became sadder, the topics of conversation shifted to a bit different direction. I was lucky enough to spend the first days of 2023 with him, when he and his family came to visit me. It was a few days full of laughter, children’s noise, conversations and hugs. And when he left my soul was empty and joyless for a long time. The last hug was warm and sad, but as always with a smile on his face. That weekend he often listened to a song called “Cassette”, which now I can’t listen to without tears in my eyes. Let it evoke memories of Anton and others.

His last words to me were “Everything will be fine”, and in a week he was gone… Memories with Anton are enough to write a book. It is impossible to describe his loss in dry words.

I love you my friend, forever in my heart.

We want the best for his family

— from Alena Riaboshapko, Head of Finance at Syndicode

It has been 5 months since Anton was gone. Every time I want to believe in a fairy tale and that this news was a hoax, a dream or someone’s joke. I was asked at on my birthday if there was anyone who did not congratulate me, and I was waiting for it. And, of course, I would really like to read or hear Anton’s greetings. Last year they were already from Bakhmut, and it was so valuable.

I learned a lot from Anton: how not to let yourself be offended, how to defend your boundaries, how to believe in yourself when faith disappears, how not to get upset over little things.

Anton was sincere, reliable and selfless. At work, he was a leader, defender, mentor and real manager. Always helped in all matters. He supported me, lifted my spirits, taught me to enjoy everything. Very few people are so sincere and always ready to help. Anton was always in the office. When you arrive, he is already in the office, practicing English before the working day. When you leave the office, he is still there, finishing work calls, arranging documents and going for a run.

One Friday evening, when the office was already empty, Anton was leaving something on my desk and saw that my cup was cracked. He wrote to me about it, I replied that I saw nothing terrible. He said it shouldn’t be cracked, so he went and bought the same one. On Monday morning, I had a new cup. It is not customary to do so, it is not really an important thing. Anton was just a person to genuinely care about everything.

Toha gave me a love for running. He always motivated me not to give up, told me what to read, what to check out, what shoes to choose. He motivated me so much that he visited my amateur yoga several times after work, just to support my desire and initiative to conduct yoga classes. It was never sad with him – he could solve literally any problem.

I want to write and tell a lot about Toha. Almost every day in every routine, there is a moment or a thought about what Toha would have done in such a case. These moments cause a smile and tears at the same time.

We want Anton’s memory to live on, to always be with us. We want the best for his family. He is truly a Hero and an example of a warrior, manager, friend, father, and husband.