The Syrian Armenian refugees, whom Canada's Toronto city has welcomed, are the descendants of Armenians who escaped from Turkey in 1915, Joe Firito writes in an article published in The Star.

According to the author, the first wave of Syrian refugees were Syrian Armenians. ''It took far too long to get them here. It matters because a century ago the Armenians were on the run from genocide; some fled to Syria. It means that the first refugees we have welcomed are the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of those who escaped the genocide in 1915. It means that 100 years is a heartbeat of history,'' Joe Fiorito writes.

The Syrian Armenians, the author continues, remember well the horrors of the past, since the history repeats.

Joe Fiorito met some of the new refugees who had those horrible memories: this is the Panossians family of eight, which is sponsored by Maria Panossian Abajian and her husband, Harout.

One hundred years ago their ancestors were kicked out of Kilis, in southern Turkey. They headed on foot to the ancient, magnificent and the multicultural city of Aleppo hoping to find safety.

''There are some Armenians who still have the keys to those houses that were abandoned 100 years ago, and the keys are talismans and reminders. But not everyone who fled a century ago kept a key and handed it down. Maria said, “I can tell you that some people left their keys under rocks; they hoped to come back.” There was no going back then,'' the author writes.  

Joe Firoito asked Maria’s brother Mgrdich Panossian, who is a dentist, what he did with his housekeys. ''He said, “I left them with the neighbour. I said to him, ''I hope we return soon.” Have you seen the photos of Aleppo? There is no going back now. I asked Betty Panossian Minassian — Maria’s sister — if the old stories came back to her as she prepared to leave. She said, flatly, “We felt the same feelings our grandmother and grandfather felt. The technology is different — they moved by walking — but the feelings are the same; we are living out ancestors’ life.”

The author also asked what the refugees brought with them, if they did not bring their housekeys. Betty said, “I brought 20 kilos of photos.” Her husband Jakob Minassian, smiled. He carried those suitcases. He said, gently, “It was twenty-seven kilos.” Jakob also said, “I brought my tools. I’m living with my tools,” he said.  

''Their kids, I should tell you, are handsome and quick and they are already at home in Toronto, although Maria’s house, where they all live, is in the leafy and spacious suburbs. I think the kids would prefer the electric density of downtown; never mind.

They need not run again,''  Joe Firorito concludes.