Sir Elton John Performs “Circle of Life” for Orphan Children with HIV/AIDS in Ukraine (2009)

Sir Elton John Performs “Circle of Life” for Orphan Children with HIV/AIDS in Ukraine (2009)

On 13 September 2009, Sir Elton John visited the Makeevka HIV/AIDS children’s orphanage, located in Makeevka (Makiyivka), Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, as part of a humanitarian mission connected to the Elton John AIDS Foundation, in cooperation with the Elena Pinchuk Foundation and its HIV/AIDS advocacy initiatives. The visit occurred at a time when Ukraine was experiencing one of the fastest-growing HIV infection rates in Europe, with a particularly severe impact on children living in institutional care.

Upon arrival at the orphanage, Elton John was welcomed by performances prepared by the children themselves. He was accompanied by his partner David Furnish and by Olena (Elena) Franchuk, founder of the ANTIAIDS Foundation and a key figure in Ukraine’s HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns. The atmosphere of the visit was informal and emotionally charged, with Elton John visibly engaged as he watched the children’s presentation alongside his hosts.

One of the most significant moments of the visit occurred when Elton John walked to a piano inside the orphanage and performed “Circle of Life”, a song from The Lion King soundtrack closely associated with themes of continuity, hope, and renewal. Sitting among the children, he played and sang the song in a quiet, non-promotional setting. This intimate performance was captured on video by international news agencies and later circulated worldwide in both short excerpts and longer journalistic reports. Unlike concert renditions, this version of “Circle of Life” is remembered for its humanitarian context and emotional simplicity rather than spectacle.

During the same visit, Elton John met Lev Ageyeva, a baby approximately 14 months old, born in July 2008 in Mariupol, a port city in eastern Ukraine. Lev, who was HIV-positive and living in institutional care, made an immediate and profound impression on the artist. At a subsequent press conference held the same day, Elton John publicly stated that he had “fallen in love” with the child and expressed his wish to adopt him together with David Furnish. Holding Lev in his arms, Elton described the encounter as one of the most moving experiences of his life.

However, the proposed adoption faced legal obstacles under Ukrainian law in force at the time. Adoption by same-sex couples was prohibited, and legislation also imposed a maximum age difference of 45 years between adopter and child. As Elton John was 62 years old, the adoption request did not meet the legal requirements and was formally rejected by Ukrainian authorities.

Despite the legal outcome, Elton John stated his intention to support Lev and his older brother, Artyom. In 2011, following the death of their mother and the imprisonment of their father, Lev was legally adopted by his maternal grandmother, Yulia Ageyeva, who became his guardian. In later media interviews, Yulia claimed that not all assistance promised during the 2009 visit had been fully realized, a statement that Elton John has never publicly addressed.

Lev Ageyeva’s name resurfaced in international news coverage in 2014, when the escalation of armed conflict in eastern Ukraine placed his family at risk. At that time, Lev, his grandmother, and his brother were living in Mariupol. With the advance of hostilities in the region, they were evacuated to Kyiv with assistance linked to Olena Franchuk and the Elena Pinchuk Foundation, working in cooperation with international humanitarian partners. The evacuation was carried out to ensure their safety amid the deteriorating security situation.

Since then, verified public information about Lev Ageyeva has remained limited. No recent photographs have been released, and the last widely known image dates from 2009, showing him as a toddler in Elton John’s arms at the Makeevka HIV/AIDS children’s orphanage. Now approximately 17 years old, Lev lives away from public attention, with his privacy deliberately preserved by his family.

The events of 13 September 2009 remain a notable moment in Sir Elton John’s humanitarian work. His performance of “Circle of Life” at the Makeevka HIV/AIDS children’s orphanage stands as one of the most poignant non-concert renditions of the song, uniting music, advocacy, and personal emotion. Beyond its association with a global music icon, the episode highlights the social stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS, the legal complexities of international adoption, and the enduring human stories that continue long after media attention fades.

Elton John, Circle of Life, Ukraine, Makeevka, Makiyivka, HIV/AIDS, Orphanage, Lev Ageyeva, David Furnish, Elena Pinchuk Foundation, ANTIAIDS Foundation, Humanitarian Visit, Adoption Law, 2009

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