In June 2026, four months before Valentín Yankelevich publicly recounted the violence that, he alleged, he suffered during his childhood alongside his brother, Franco Yan had left a reflection on the importance of listening to kids. In an interview with Tatiana Schapiro for Infobae, the elder son of Romina Yan spoke about his experience with bullying and the need for adults to pay attention when a child tells them what is happening to him.
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The conversation was published on June 28, 2026, long before Valentín’s testimony brought the family story back into the spotlight. At that time, Franco did not refer to the situations his brother would recount months later. However, some of his words acquire a new dimension today.
The Bullying Franco Yan Suffered During Childhood
In the interview, Franco recalled that he had endured bullying, especially during elementary school. “It was a much more physical and verbal bullying than today. I’m sad that it still exists.”, he explained.
When Tatiana Schapiro asked who helped him get through that period, Franco highlighted the role of his mother, Romina Yan, who died in 2010.
“My mom. She was the one who went to the school, who spoke, who set boundaries. She never let my world as a child who kept playing fade away.,” he said.
Thus, Franco placed that experience in a phase when his mother was present and could intervene in the situations he faced at school. His memory of Romina was tied to protection and the decision to act when something hurt him.
“Children Have to Speak and Adults Have to Listen to Them”
Later, the conversation took another direction. As he spoke about the persistence of bullying and violence, Franco emphasized the importance that children be able to express what happens to them and find adults willing to listen.
“And that’s why I always tell kids to speak up. Children have to speak and adults have to listen to them.”, he stated.
Immediately, he listed some of the people a child can turn to: “There’s always someone willing to listen: a grandparent, a friend, a teacher, a therapist.”
And he closed with a strong plea: “The important thing is not to stay silent. And forgive me for how I’m going to say this, but stop bothering the kids.”
At another point in the interview, the journalist asked whether he had always felt heard. Franco’s response was meaningful: “Not always. But I had a family and, above all, grandparents who were there. My grandfather always listened to me and supported me. I didn’t find that support in every field, but yes in my closest circle.”
Valentín’s Testimony and the Times He Did Not Receive a Response
Four months after that interview, his brother Valentín publicly revealed that, according to his testimony, both brothers had suffered physical and psychological violence from their father, Darío Giordano, during childhood.
In the interview, which also was conducted by Tatiana Schapiro for Infobae, Valentín recounted that he tried to speak about what was happening with different adults, but did not always find the listening and protection he needed.
According to him, when he and Franco turned to their paternal grandparents, they received a response that minimized the situation: “Your dad is going through a difficult time too, you should understand.” “But there was no listening there,” he recalled.
Valentín also spoke of an experience with a psychologist he attended during that period. According to his account, what he told in the sessions reached his father’s ears and, on occasion, led to new episodes of violence. “I didn’t have any place to speak there anymore,” he said.
Finally, he highlighted the role of his maternal grandfather, Gustavo Yankelevich, who, he said, was the first person who listened to them and helped them get out of that situation.
A June Reflection That Resonates Differently Today
When Franco spoke about the importance of listening to children, he wasn’t publicly referring to the situations Valentín would recount later. His reflection had arisen in a conversation about bullying and his own experiences during childhood.
But, in light of his brother’s statements, those words regain relevance. While Franco remembered a mother who went to the school to defend him, he also noted that he had not always felt heard and highlighted the support he found in his grandparents.
“Children have to speak and adults have to listen to them,” he had said in June. Months later, Valentín’s account put at the forefront what can happen when, according to his testimony, children try to tell what they experience and do not receive a response.
