How I Used Intentional Storytelling to Bring My Grandmother’s Story to Life

By Tamara Buzyna Adams

I never expected a century old diary, its lettering faded with time, to change the way I saw myself. When I first began writing Last Ship to Freedom, I thought I was simply preserving my grandmother’s story. I saw it as a family history project documenting her departure from her beloved homeland, supported by her diaries and historical context. But as I peeled back the layers of her journey, I realized it was far more than that. What began as preservation became a path of transformation and discovery, not only into my family’s past, but my own identity. I felt a deep responsibility to tell her story with greater depth, heart, and purpose, and to shape her words, images, and legacy with true intention so they would resonate far beyond our own family.

My grandmother, Lydia, was only eleven years old when she fled Russia in 1920, spending eighteen months living aboard the steamship Kherson as a refugee with her parents, my great grandparents. Her father, Dimitri, worked on the ship, and because of that, their family was allotted a cabin as their home. Almost as if on cue, her beautifully handwritten, yellowing diaries came into my hands during the COVID-19 lockdown. As my mother translated each page and I crafted her words into an emotional story of innocence, resilience, and hope, I realized this was more than a historical record told by a child. It was a unique glimpse into the lives of real people fighting for survival. Their story needed to be honored. Needed to be told. Her words stepped off the dusty pages and came to life.

Intentional storytelling became my driving force to recount the events with authenticity.

Though our lives were separated by a century, they felt deeply intertwined as I walked beside her through each page. I could sense her joy, her disappointments, and her parents’ fear of the unknown. These themes of resilience, displacement, and courage remain as relevant today as they were a hundred years ago.

Through this process, I began to see how storytelling connects generations. The same words that describe my grandmother, such as diligence, resilience, perseverance, and adventurous, also describe my mother, myself, and my children. Intentional storytelling became a bridge linking our past, present, and future, revealing how our shared traits and values continue to pass down through generations.

But to my surprise, the connection extended beyond my own family line.

While researching my grandmother’s diaries, I discovered descendants of her best friend from the ship, Zhenia. Our grandmothers once played together on the deck of the Kherson, and now, more than a century later, their descendants are connected again. Our two families, once divided by history, are reunited through this story. A reminder of how storytelling has a way of bringing people together across time.

That moment of discovery changed everything. Sharing Lydia’s story inspired others to share their stories, dig through their own family boxes of memorabilia, read old letters and ask their elders questions before it was too late. Lydia’s story became a spark for connection and reflection, showing that when we honor the past with intention, we give meaning to the present and shape the future.

My grandmother’s voice, once confined to the delicate pages of her diaries, now spread across generations, reminding us that stories told with purpose have the power to inspire, to connect, and to transform. In uncovering her story, I rediscovered myself. Intentional storytelling allowed me to honor not only my grandmother’s courage but the resilience passed down through generations. It changes us and leaves a lasting impact on everyone who listens.

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