Helping Sasha's family under fire in Ukraine

Many friends and family know that two of our children, Lera and Vitalik were adopted from Ukraine. We appreciate your concern and for reaching out to us to ask how our children are doing. It is a difficult time seeing what is happening to their beautiful country, as well as to their friends and family who are still in Ukraine.

Lera has been in touch with her biological family and reports that they are ok...for now.

However, Sasha, one of the kids' friends who remains in Ukraine, is in trouble, and we are trying to raise money to help him. Sasha was one our children's closest friends when they were living in the orphanage. He was their protector. We were able to meet Sasha when we spent months in Ukraine during our adoption process and grew very fond of him. We wanted to adopt him as well, but due to laws and complications, that was not possible. Over the 8 years since we brought Lera and Vitalik home, we have remained in touch with Sasha. We think of him like a son. We love him very much. He is now a young man with a family of his own. He has a beautiful wife and young baby.

The moment bombs started dropping on February 24th, our phone was buzzing with messages from Sasha. We hear from him multiple times each day with updates. Every day we hear from him, we are so grateful, but we are also so worried for him. It is a very helpless feeling. The area where Sasha is located is unsafe with shelling and active machine gunfire. It is dangerous for them to stay. It is dangerous for them to leave. Sasha's biggest fear at this moment is his family starving, as shelves are becoming empty and food costs are skyrocketing.

 

Noelle and I have already been sending money to help, but we would love to do a little more. So, for those of you who have asked, and want to help, we are looking to send the funds to help him buy more food and to fortify the basement as a bomb shelter.