"The difficult moments unite people": Ukrainian refugees in New York finding comfort through new connections
NEW YORK -- The Russian invasion of Ukraine has sent refugees all over the globe, and some are settling right here in the Tri-State Area.
Iryna Starychenko says it was a four-day trip on a bus out of war-torn Kyiv to safety.
"The bridges are blocked and so many people trying to immigrate, and they got stuck in the traffic for, like, five hours," her son, Mykyta Starychenko, said.
Those challenges, Mykyta says, made getting out of Kyiv the hardest part. He says his mom made several attempts to escape but had to return home because of the imposed curfew.
Now settling in the East Village, the 52-year-old is meeting Halyna Shevchenko for the first time. Shevchenko just escaped bombing in her hometown of Odessa. The two women made an immediate connection.
"Feeling like there is somebody who can understand you, who maybe went through the same thing, same pain, same challenges," Shevchenko's daughter Daria said. "I'm just trying to be there for her. It is challenging for everybody."
Daria says her mom is very fragile, having left behind her dad, elderly grandparents and loved ones. The uncertainty kept her from sleeping the first night in her new home.
"She was checking the cameras on our Ukrainian house to see if everybody is safe, if there is any explosions happening, and she was crying," Daria said.
For Iryna and Halyna, it was a natural reaction to hug. They both say their first meeting was comforting.
"I'm pretty sure our moms will make the connection, too," Mykyta said.
"The difficult moments unite people, that's for sure, and might lead to a friendship," Daria said.
Both moms agree that nothing can erase the trauma they've lived through, but new beginnings and new connections offer hope.