Miliana Kratchmarov and Melissa Kuesel reflect on their friendship with Wayne Hanna
From left to right: Melissa Kuesel, Wayne Hanna and Miliana Kratchmarov
Article by Risha Inaganti
Wayne Hanna’s home is filled with colorful books, blooming plants and endless photos. Once a week, Wayne’s home welcomes in student volunteers Miliana Kratchmarov, a sophomore who is studying to become a nurse at the University of Delaware, and Melissa Kuesel, a senior studying human services at Delaware Technical Community College.
Every Friday when Melissa and Miliana walk into the Newark home, they are greeted by the warmth of the decor and the gleeful barks of Lori’s Hands’ Pet of the Year winner, Sophie.
“His house is so amazing, everything is so homey,” Melissa said. “Wayne literally has the best basement ever, it’s like craft central down there. I’m so jealous I love exploring everything.”
But it is not just Wayne’s house that Melissa can rave about. Melissa and Miliana are in agreement on how Wayne’s personality makes him a joy to be around.
“He just has a great sense of humor and is so sweet,” Miliana said. “He’s always been a pleasure to work with.”
Miliana explains that what started off as helping with general house chores such as mopping and sweeping, has grown into a beautiful friendship between the three. Wayne, Miliana and Melissa come together Friday mornings to complete house work, talk about what has happened in their week apart and share life stories.
They end each visit by sitting in the living room together, catching up as the television quietly plays in the background and Sophie rests at their feet.
Wayne, who has spent his life in Delaware, loves sharing stories about his time in the state, and it’s become a big bonding point for the three.
“It’s so fun to compare the places in Delaware we’ve been to and learn how things have changed over the years,” Melissa said. “We get so into it that we’ll end up having long conversations about specific streets.”
From telling them about the number of times he’s missed a turn when driving, to explaining the time his garage door broke, Wayne’s stories always have Melissa and Miliana on the edge of their seat.
“I always look forward to hearing his stories,” Melissa said. “He’s had so many fun life experiences and I love that I get to hear them.”
As the semester comes to an end they share the sentiment of the time they spent together. Melissa, who is graduating this year, mentions how much she will miss him as Miliana explains how lucky she was to meet him.
“Visiting Wayne has become like a tradition that I can look forward to,” Miliana said. “I wake up Friday morning and my first thought is always ‘time to see Wayne,’ and I love it.”
Wayne’s framed prints of Sophie winning Pet of the Year
Risha Inaganti is a sophomore at the University of Delaware with a double major in communication and English, as well as a double minor in journalism and environmental humanities. She is currently serving as a communications intern for Lori’s Hands, Newark.
