Wyprawa Syberyjska Jacka Frankowskiego #12 Pamięci Romka Koperskiego

I'm talking about the impression Romek made on me when we first met at the Moscow airport. I had imagined differently: a conqueror of the Atlantic in a rowboat, a Siberian Lena in a rubber dinghy, Siberia in cars in summer and winter, a musician with a Guinness World Record for longest piano playing time. I expected a tough guy who kept his distance from less experienced travelers. In my life, I've met two people with whom I felt a sense of closeness from the very first moment, I don't know why. One was Bishop Jan Chrapek, the other Romek. There was something captivating about the way both men created an atmosphere of directness, giving me the feeling that we'd known each other forever. When I watched the film report of Romek's rowing trip across the Atlantic, I was captivated by the film's portrayal of difficult moments, discouragement, and weakness. He revealed how he had to overcome himself to cross the Atlantic. This is what truly great people are capable of, those who don't need to camouflage their human impulses when they've had enough. Romek valued honesty in people and exemplified the kind of attitude he expected from others. Perhaps that's why he so loved Siberia and the Siberian people, who are far from the calculated behavior prevalent in the commercialized Western world. During our expedition, I recorded Romek's statements explaining the history of the places we passed. They constitute a kind of chronicle of our journey and I reproduce them in the film commemorating Romek as a Siberian guide. We were honored that Romek described our group as the best among those he had ever encountered as a Siberian expedition guide. I recorded these spontaneous words spoken during our farewell as we parted ways with Romek in Moscow. We were returning to Poland, and Romek to Siberia with new potential explorers. Many of us planned to return with Romek to the Siberian trails. There will be no new expeditions. Romek ended his earthly journeys. He passed away on November 23, 2019. He was laid to rest in the Siberian Quarters at the Łostowice Cemetery in Gdańsk.