Tuhia he haere tonu mo tenei irava - I whanau a Mihai Pelin i te mutunga o Akuhata 1940 i Cernăuți, i nohoia
e te Soviet Union i ngā marama e rua ki mua. Ko tana papa, ko Spiridon, he kaimahi tereina i te wa ko tana whaea he wahine whare, a ko tetahi waahanga o tona whanau he pakiaka Polish me Tiamana. I te Pakanga Tuarua o te Ao, i noho a Pelin me tona kuia i Bessarabia me nga hoia Tiamana, i mua i tana wehenga ki Bucharest i te 1944.