In the early 1990s, Arthur Gourounlian was a young teenager fleeing Armenia with his family, escaping a country marked by instability and hardship
Seeking asylum in Belgium, they hoped for safety and a new beginning.
Now, years later, Arthur reflected on that journey and his life today, speaking with Carl Mullan on the Phone Truths podcast.
“I was trying to survive with my parents,” he recalled.
“Like moments where we had to shave our heads to make sure we don’t have lice, things like that.
“I was never crying, I was 13, my sister was 11, [so] you were just going with it.”
Survival was the focus, and at that age, Arthur had no choice but to keep moving forward, determined to find happiness despite the circumstances.
“That has always stuck with me,” he said. “Whatever happens, I’m going to be happy, I’m going to move forward.”
“I don’t have idols in the celebrity world – my mom is my idol”
But the journey wasn’t without heartbreak. At just 16, Arthur lost his father. In this moment, it was his mother who became the family’s source of strength, guiding them through unimaginable challenges.
“I don’t have idols in the celebrity world – my mom is my idol,” Arthur said.
“The way she handled all of that. She got married to save us in Belgium. If she didn’t have kids, she would have had to go back to Armenia.”
His mother’s courage and sacrifice became a model for him, an example of resilience that would shape his own commitment to his family.
Now, as a father to two daughters, Blake and Blu, Arthur says he would do anything to ensure their health and happiness.
“I’d work in a café, serve tables, I’d do anything—I don’t care,” he says.
Although he feels privileged to work in his current field, he said he would give it all up in a moment if it was necessary to secure a good life for his daughters.
“If that doesn’t work tomorrow, I’d do anything to survive and have a beautiful life for my kids,” he said.
Arthur’s journey hasn’t always been accepted by everyone, especially his life with his husband Brian.
While some online voices have criticised his family’s choices, Arthur takes it all in his stride.
“They only count for 1–3% of people,” he said. The majority of people, he said, are supportive and warm.
“They’re not going to be happy for you because there’s always a jealousy because we are happy,” he explained.
But ultimately, his focus is on protecting his daughters and creating a stable environment for them.
“I want to make sure my two daughters are protected and no matter what, they have Brian and I,” he said. “As a parent, I am learning something new every day.”
Arthur acknowledged that his daughters may face challenges, whether related to their background or their family structure.
“Of course, they’re probably going to be bullied… they’re Irish-Armenian, they’re from surrogacy. That’s already a red flag,” he said, anticipating the realities his children may encounter.
“Blake is thriving… she’s also very feisty, so we won’t be worrying about her”
However, he is confident in their resilience, especially Blake. “Blake is thriving… she’s also very feisty, so we won’t be worrying about her. We will get a phone call that Blake actually said something,” he laughed.
Reflecting on his life as a former asylum seeker, Arthur cherishes the security that Belgian citizenship brought him – a gift he never takes for granted.
He remembers the moment he received his Belgian passport in April 1998, just months before he would have been forced to return to Armenia.
“That was the most relief and the most rewarding call I’ve ever gotten,” he recalls. “When you are waiting for that moment, and you don’t get handcuffed and put on a plane to Armenia… they validated you staying.
“Even if I didn’t travel, I didn’t care. But I had the passport to stay in the country—no one was going to kick me out.”
Today, as he watches his daughters receive their Irish passports, Arthur sees the promise of a secure and happy life for them, a life without the uncertainties he once endured.
“People don’t understand that when you get that little booklet, you can lead your life,” he says.
For Arthur, that passport symbolises a place in the world, a right to stay, and the ability to build a life filled with love and opportunity.
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