Woman Forced to Flee Her Country During War Is Left Homeless - But Her Son Uses His Hobby to Buy Her a New Home

Many teens are content to play video games. Not Maksym Gavrylenko though.

The 17-year-old student loves Minecraft so much that he turned his hobby into a lucrative business. Now, he’s using the rewards of his acumen to help his mother, who had to flee her home due to war.

A Hobby Turned Business

In 2021, Gavrylenko moved from Ukraine to Scotland. There, he bought a used Minecraft server for £1,000, according to the Independent. He and two friends spent the next couple of years tweaking the server and changing it, eventually resulting in a huge rise in players.

“We never imagined it would develop into a viable business opportunity, but with guidance from my brother, who works in tech, and the school, I was encouraged to explore the possibilities to turn it into something bigger,” Gavrylenko told the publication.

As more and more players joined, advertising followed. The value of the server increased exponentially. Then, a tech firm made “a lucrative” offer, which Gavrylenko accepted last month.

Helping His Family

While it’s not clear just how much money Gavrylenko made by selling the server, it was enough to help his mother, who is currently staying with friends in Portugal. Now, he plans on buying her a house of her own.

“As a result of the war, she was forced to flee her home, leaving her homeless, so to buy her a property will make all the hours spent on this project worthwhile,” Gavrylenko explained.

He added other family members remain in Ukraine, including his grandparents, who lived in Kyiv their whole lives and would not leave. His sister also remains in the country, as her husband had signed up to defend it.

Pursuing His Dream

Gavrylenko is currently attending Lomond School in Scotland, a day and boarding school. But with the sale of his gaming company, he’s setting his sights on whatever comes next.

“I don’t know what the future holds, but I’ve always had an interest in business, having worked as a part-time translator and a writer in Ukraine,” he revealed. “As well as having a passion for gaming, I really enjoyed the entrepreneurial side of our project, and I have applied to universities around the world to study business management.”

According to the Independent, Gavrylenko’s school of choice would be south of the border in England. Meanwhile, there are others who are rooting for him and know that this kid can do whatever he sets his mind to.

Lomond School principal, Johanna Urquhart, says that what Gavrylenko has done is “absolutely incredible” and just the start of a bright future. “I have no doubt that this won’t be the last we hear about one of Maksym’s business ventures,” she added.

Love What You Do

If you’re passionate about something, there’s no harm in pursuing it and seeing if you’re able to turn those feelings into a career or business venture — this 17-year-old kid is a great reminder of that.

He took an activity that he enjoyed and managed to make it a success. And he was in it for more than just the money: He also wanted to help his own family out following a difficult time.

Those who are passionate about what they do tend to have more positive outlooks and are able to find situations when things become difficult. That naturally increases their chance of success.

You don’t have to know what your passion is, of course. But your dreams are possible if you just follow them and seek advice from others along the way. Gavrylenko reminds us of that, and we can’t wait to see what he does next.

More from Goalcast:

• Woman Loses Her Home Even After Working Hard for 13 Hours Daily – So Her Devoted Son Buys Her a New House

• Homeless Man Bursts Into Tears After Finding Out Strangers Raised Over $15,000 For Him to Buy a House