Manhattan woman inspired by resilience of relatives in Ukraine staying put to fight
NEW YORK -- A Manhattan woman with ties to Ukraine is on edge with every notice coming out of the country.
She shared a glimpse of her family's personal story with CBS2's Thalia Perez.
Natalie Iarko says she let out a sigh of relief when she learned her 16-year-old godson Iilya Sobchenko arrived safely on Romanian soil. His parents, though, are taking the dangerous trip back home to Kyiv, she says, despite the brutal fight unfolding in their city.
She says the couple is traveling a difficult route back to join the fight and defend their home.
"They have to be careful of ... where the Russians are doing acts of bombing and artillery," Iarko said.
During her interview with Perez, another family friend from Kyiv called and abruptly hung up.
"She said they have to hide," Iarko said.
They were under attack, but conditions are so severe for them that they could not seek refuge in a bomb shelter.
"It's rat infested so they're hiding in the communal corridors," Iarko said.
Also on her mind, she says, is her 73-year-old father. Iarko had a video of him making Molotov cocktails. Someone is heard in Ukrainian saying, "Be careful not to leave sharp particles on the ground."
"The first day of invasion when I spoke to my parents, I am the one who was crying," Iarko said.
But her elderly parents won't budge, she says. They plan on staying put.
"Late at night to keep up their spirits, they were singing the Ukrainian anthem as their karaoke. That's the spirit of Ukrainian people," Iarko said.
Iarko says although news may not be promising in her hometown, she is inspired by the resilience of Ukrainians and holds onto that to carry her through each day.