The news portal Žmonės.lt interviewed Virgis, who spoke more about his grandchildren.
“The eldest granddaughter Izabelė is currently a second-year student. Sofija and Čarlis are sixteen-year-old twins. They are preemies, and I am a grandfather of preemies. They came into the world at just 26 weeks. Now they are high school students and have been attending classes for a good week – in America, the school year starts much earlier,” Virgis Stakėnas told the news portal Žmonės.lt with pride about his grandchildren.
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Virgis Stakėnas’s daughter Agnė went to America while still a student. She completed her studies there and earned a US diploma. Later, she not only successfully established herself in management but also met her future husband Nicola, whose relationship also faced challenges due to distance.
“After her studies, my daughter stayed in America, where she immediately stood out from others because of her European appearance and manner. She was preparing to work in a hospital. She met a guy with whom she developed a beautiful relationship. After her student visa expired, she had to return to Lithuania and wait for a new work visa. Although this process took a long time, the distance did not separate them. They constantly communicated by phone, and eventually, the guy came to Šiauliai to meet our family,” he shared his memories.
The day Nicolas asked for Virgis’s daughter Agnė’s hand in marriage is still remembered by the singer with a smile, recalling the moment of the proposal in which the American showed great respect for Lithuanian traditions.
“The proposal was very touching. The son-in-law memorized a Lithuanian text to ask the parents for their daughter’s hand. My mother was even amazed at how beautifully he spoke Lithuanian! Although I had to explain to her that he learned exactly that text (laughs). Eventually, they started a family in America, and after some time, my first granddaughter Izabelė was born. This event inspired me creatively – I dedicated the song ‘Ašarėlė’ to her, which can be found on my album ‘Senelio dainos’,” Virgis said emotionally with a smile.
Four years after Izabelė’s birth, Sofija and Čarlis were born. However, their birth was a significant and patience-testing challenge for the family.
“Their journey into life was not easy. They spent the first two months in hospital incubators. It was an incredibly stressful time. I was very impressed by the strong community of parents of preemies in the US. My daughter received incredible solidarity – people simply brought homemade food to make things easier for her. Talking about the warmth and support from strangers still brings tears to my eyes,” the famous man said.
Today, those same fragile babies have grown up and become active, independent young people. Virgis is happy that his grandchildren spend their time meaningfully and dislike wasting time “hanging around.”
“The children who once fought for their lives are now sixteen. They are growing up independent – they drive themselves to school because their mother, a university project manager, simply wouldn’t have time to drive them all due to numerous clubs and activities. The family avoids meaningless ‘hanging around’ because it is known that time quickly disappears on social networks when doing nothing. For example, the eldest Izabelė spent her summer meaningfully: at a camp she once attended as a participant, this year she worked as a leader and consultant. Čarlis and Sofija also work during the summer – as waiters in a café, and Čarlis mowed the grass at his home and for neighbors,” he said.
When asked if Čarlis will follow in his grandfather’s footsteps and also pursue music, Virgis said he was not sure, but it is obvious that there is a musical vein in this family.
“It’s hard to say if my grandson will become a musician, but he already has a guitar in his hands. All three grandchildren are musical and have completed piano lessons. The eldest Izabelė learned to play the piano from sheet music for seven years,” Virgis said.
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However, the family notices that Čarlis and his grandfather have certain physical similarities: “Some say that my grandson Čarlis looks like me as a child. My daughter even compared photos of us both at seven years old – the resemblance is obvious, we look like real relatives.”
Virgis does not hide that the great distance prevents frequent meetings and seeing how the grandchildren change in person, but modern technology allows them to stay close to each other.
“Currently, I see my family less often in person, although I used to visit America frequently – I have had eleven concert tours there. Now my wife visits my daughter more often and enjoys the role of grandmother. Our connection with relatives is maintained every Sunday through online conversations; we talk with my daughter, and if the grandchildren are home, they join in,” the country music legend told Žmonės.lt.
The singer warmly recalls the last time the whole family visited his home. It was a special occasion – a honorable anniversary.
“The last time the whole family came to Lithuania was three years ago. They visited me in Vijoliai village, Šiauliai district. Although I call myself a villager, the house is actually very close to the city – just a few hundred meters from the Šiauliai border. The grandchildren came to Lithuania to celebrate my seventieth birthday. Together we not only celebrated but also traveled around the country, and those precious moments are now remembered through many photos. The coziest memories are the evenings when we all sat together by the campfire or fireplace – that is exactly how sincere and warm our family communication is,” the man shared joyfully.
Still, certain rituals are passed down from generation to generation. For example, grandson Čarlis has memorized and adopted his grandfather’s way of eating tomatoes very well.
“It’s hard to say how much Lithuanian identity and my own mannerisms the grandchildren carry, but my daughter notices it shows in the smallest everyday details. For example, once grandson Čarlis asked: ‘Mom, I want a tomato like grandpa eats it.’ He perfectly memorized my whole ritual: the tomato must be fresh, firm, and solid. It should be sliced into rounds and neatly arranged in a row on a wooden board. Then sprinkled with pepper and salt. The most important detail – the tomato cannot be taken with a fork. It must be carefully pierced with the tip of a knife and put directly into the mouth, eaten with bread or cheese, which the grandson really likes,” he said with a smile.
When asked if the grandchildren might want to build their lives in Lithuania, Virgis said that for now their lives are fully in America, and when they visit Lithuania, they enjoy the green Lithuanian nature and our seaside.
“It’s hard to say what path the grandchildren will choose after finishing their studies, but I have no doubt they will continue their university education. When visiting Lithuania, they definitely have a great time: they enjoy swimming in the pond in my yard and the country’s lakes. The grandchildren especially like Palanga, and there are two reasons for that: the white sandy beaches with the sea and the noisy hustle and bustle of Basanavičius Street, which always leaves a big impression on young people. Although Lithuania seems very green and beautiful to them, their hometown Omaha in Nebraska is also a charming place. It’s not a huge metropolis – in size, this city resembles our Kaunas,” he said.
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