Miami Man Creates ‘Wall of Hope’ in Ukraine and Poland – NBC 6 South Florida

A Miami man who created the Surfside memorial wall is turning his attention to the war in Ukraine.

Leo Soto went to Ukraine and created a “wall of hope” for victims and their families. He first went to Warsaw, Poland, where he created a wall of hope there, too.

It took him 14 hours to then get into Ukraine.

“I actually collect as many flowers, artificial flowers, that I could in Warsaw and then made my way into Ukraine,” Soto said. “It was actually a little bit difficult because of customs and how difficult the security was obviously in a country at war.” 

Soto had created the “wall of hope” in Surfside after the tragic condo building collapse that killed 98 people.

He created the Wall of Hope Foundation and is now spreading his message of hope in war-torn Ukraine. 

“They say, ‘I lost a brother. and I would like to add my brother, would you be able to help me printing out these pictures and laminating them and adding them to the wall?’ And that’s when you know that there’s real power, right? I came all the way from Miami and my message of hope and about wanting to honor these people translated so well that you know everyone now is participating, adding their own flowers and adding their own pictures and making it really special,” he said.