function if it came to that anti-aircraft rocket or something. i would definitely say sometimes it was more safe for me to be with the army out in some trench than it would be to be in the center of sarajevo. >> reporter: electricity, food and water were scarce. and the city streets were often targeted by serbian snipers and their artillery shells. there were horrific marketplace massacres, and everyday life was traumatic. what was the worst moment for you, do you think? >> so many worst moments. possibly when my mom got shot, but that was just before we joined the army. she was just going to work. she was on a bus. and the sniper shot, i think, several times. and hit my mom in the leg. she was actually quite lucky to pull through that. >> reporter: shortly before the war ended, vlad and his brother