By Inga Martinyan

YEREVAN. – Participant of Karabakh war Gagik Hovhannisyan lost 12 friends at wartime and promised himself to have 12 children.  

He kept his promise. Hovhannisyan, a father of 7 sons and 5 daughters, says he wants to have 5 more sons to name them after the deceased friends.  

“I ask God for health to have another five sons and name them after my friends. Perhaps it will comfort me,” he said in an interview with Armenian News-NEWS.am.

On May 20, a 41-year-old resident of Kharberd, Armenuhi Mnatsakanian was transported to the medical center Erebuni where she gave birth to her 12th child.

The first grandson of Gagik and Armenuhi was born about seven months ago.

“Now when my 12th child is born, I feel as if I were a newlywed,” Gagik says.

All children got school education and are working in construction. Gagik and Armenuhi are not receiving financial aid as a large family. As a Karabakh war veteran, Gagik is getting pension and assistance from the Defense Minister.

Armenuhi Manukyan added that they kept the promise and gave birth to 12 children and now it is for the government to pass a law on large families.

Telling her love story, Armenuhi said it was love at first sight. She ran away with her husband at the age of 16, as the family was against their marriage. A mother of 12 says she wishes peaceful Armenia for her children.