At 5:20 a.m. on February 24, 2022, the war in Ukraine reached Kharkiv, where Nadia’s family awoke to the sound of explosions and air-raid sirens.

Before that morning, Nadia was the founder of the public association “My Life,” which provides support to children with disabilities. She ran an educational business and worked at a medical center for women’s health. She raised two talented teenagers, Michael and Anna, with whom she shared a close, trusting bond.

Michael, in 10th grade, was sociable, curious and passionate about computer development. Despite a disability, he had built a small business called “Tea of Kindness,” which grew successfully and earned recognition on Ukrainian television. Anna, in 9th grade, was a gifted cheerleader, multiple-time champion of Ukrainian competitions and a self-taught fashion designer who created her own clothing. Both children had many friends, bright futures and a life full of plans.

All of that changed in an instant.

When explosions rocked the city, Nadia’s family had to evacuate immediately. Living on the eighth floor, with Michael in a wheelchair, leaving the building was nearly impossible once the elevators failed. They managed to reach the street and their car, unsure where they would spend the night. Over the next week, they stayed with friends, hiding under stairs and monitoring the news, as missiles flew overhead. Explosions landed just 300 meters away, including a strike on a military school for teenagers. Windows shattered, walls shook and sleep was impossible.

On March 2, a temporary quiet allowed them to leave Kharkiv and begin a journey across Ukraine, from east to west, in search of safety. Every night, sirens echoed across cities. Every day brought new shelling of peaceful towns. Curfews made travel at night impossible, yet strangers opened their homes, offered warm food and gave shelter. Across Ukraine, ordinary people became a single, compassionate family, providing warmth and protection in the face of destruction.

Tragedy struck on March 5. Nadia’s brother, who had remained in Kharkiv to serve at a strategic energy facility, was killed by a missile while evacuating two elderly women. His wife was nearby when a concrete slab crushed her spine, requiring immediate hospitalization. His body remained under the rubble for more than four months because ongoing shelling made rescue impossible. The family faced unimaginable grief, without closure, surrounded by destruction and fear.

Despite the heartbreak, Nadia and her family pressed on, determined to save her children. After three days on the road, they reached the Ukrainian border with Moldova. With the help of her niece, they were able to continue to the United States.

Settling in Richmond, they found safety, care and a community willing to help them rebuild their lives. The family joined the local Ukrainian community for support and began learning English through Jewish Family Services. Michael also received rehabilitation at the Weinstein JCC and was helped, through JFS, with locating a suitable wheelchair transport vehicle to purchase. 

"My family and I are infinitely grateful to the United States and JFS for saving me from the bloody war waged by Russia to destroy Ukraine and Ukrainians, as well as for the most productive life possible for my son, who overcomes the challenges of a serious illness,” Nadia said.

Richmond became a place of refuge, renewal and opportunity. For the first time in years, the family felt safe. They began to rebuild their lives with hope, gratitude and the knowledge that, even in the darkest moments, compassion and resilience can guide a path forward.

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