On February 24, 2022 our friends lives were forever changed as Russia invaded Ukraine from it’s eastern border.

 

Living in the eastern city of Kharkiv, single Mom Tatyana (Tanya) and 11 year old Aleksandra (Sasha) were forced to flee to their basement to seek shelter in the dead of winter.  Sasha is the cousin and Tanya the aunt of my 11 year old daughter's best friend Maggie.

 

(Sasha in basement on first night of bombing)

 

Not having planned for a war they had little to no food or water and decided to attempt the journey to a local friends home that was larger and had other children to shelter together

 

 

(Sasha and others in basement)

 

After 6 nights of constant shelling and bombing in Kharkiv in civilian areas facing the fear of running out of food, water and heat, intermittent power and internet our friends had to make a decision of whether to stay or go. 

(View in the sky every night)

 

On March 2, 2022 Tanya and Sasha decided it was go time and they would start their dangerous journey out of Kharkiv by train. What they saw on the way to the train station is indescribable and horrific. Once they made it there, it was utter chaos, near stampedes and packed trains with no food or water

(Photo from Twitter of Kharkiv train station on March 1, 2022)

 

They managed to make it on the 4th and last train for the day out of Kharkiv, packed well beyond its capacity, bound for Lviv with nothing but 2 small backbacks and a stuffed animal. As they were leaving the station the Russians started shelling the train depot, but thankfully it did not damage the train. The train was supposed to go to Lviv and take 16 hours but took 24 hours and ended in Vinnytsia (about 370km short of their original destination of Lviv and far away from the Western border).

 

Once in Vinnytsia, they were left on their own to figure out how to get across the Ukrainian border. 

From Moldova they made it to Romania and thanks to the red cross they made it to  Italy around 2:30pm on March 6, 2022.

 

(Tanya and Sasha in Italy on 3/6/2020)

 

Tanya and Sasha are now refugees, they have no home and only have the clothes on their back. They are physically safe, but emotionally forever changed. We hope they will be able to seek asylum soon and can start rebuilding their lives.

 

Right now they have nothing and need to start rebuilding their lives in a foreign land, while still worried about their friends who could not escape from Ukraine.

 

Tanya and Sasha need everything from clothes, a place to stay, toiletries and just the ability to feed themselves on their own.

 

Anything you can give is greatly appreciated. All funds collected outside of GoFundMe fees will go directly to Tanya and Sasha being able to have a roof over their head and try to rebuild their lives.

This GoFundMe was my idea as, Tanya, and many others are too prideful to ask as everyone needs help right now.