Local Pärnu legend Pudeli-Vovka remembered for his quirks and kindness
Pärnu fixture Vladimir Fetšin, better known by locals as Pudeli-Vovka, left his mark on the city, collecting bottles while quietly helping neighbors.
Content creator Lauri Kare Laos recalled seeing Pudeli-Vovka around town year round.
"A little man with a big bag, always smiling and with a smoke in his mouth," he recalled.
"Vovka's questions, 'Got a cent? Got a smoke?' are basically scripts," added actor Jaan Rekkor.
Born May 16, 1949, in nearby Sindi, Vovka and his twin brother were his family's 13th and 14th children. Born with a developmental disability, he worked at a sawmill in Pärnu until hit by perestroika-era layoffs.
Afterward, he began his familiar daily rounds, collecting bottles and, in his own way, easing people's worries.
"He had his routes and often went to church," said Vovka's niece, Svetlana Murzina, who described her uncle as a cleaner.
"He cleaned up the trash people left behind," she said. "But when he asked them for change, I felt like he was collecting people's tears. He didn't approach everyone; he seemed to sense when someone was struggling with something. The coins were like their burdens that he'd carry for them."
Vovka loved children and often took Murzina's daughter for walks. "He was such a helpful presence," she recalled.
Rekkor said neighborhood fixtures like Pudeli-Vovka, Õnge-Enn and Zenta are a testament to a city's size — and character.
"If a city has [local characters] like them, it's the right size to live in," he said, noting towns like Viljandi and Haapsalu also have their own.
Tributes across town
Vova's health began to decline as he reached his 70s. Last week, he died at his sister's home, aged 76.
After his niece announced his death online, thousands shared their memories and condolences.
Local tributes to Pudeli-Vova in Pärnu include a mural on a nightclub door by street artist Kryptik, another alongside the Jaanson Trail on the left bank of the Pärnu River, and even a popular cafe bearing his name. Now, the community is discussing the possibility of a formal memorial.
While Rekkor is skeptical that the City of Pärnu would be on board, he does like the idea of a dedicated memorial.
"It would be wonderful to have a bronze Vova where people could actually leave coins," he said, adding that the money could go to a shelter.
--
Editor: Annika Remmel, Aili Vahtla
