With homeland at war, Ukrainian refugees celebrate nation's Independence Day in Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A show of solidarity in Philadelphia. Mayor Jim Kenney joined Ukrainian refugees to raise Ukraine's flag outside of City Hall on Wednesday afternoon.
The ceremony marked Ukraine's 31st anniversary since declaring independence from the Soviet Union. In years past, it has always been a joyous occasion, but this year is different as their homeland is at war.
Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception had a special service on Sunday and was part of that event at City Hall marking Ukraine's independence.
Thousands of refugees have been forced to flee their country, and on Wednesday, Eyewitness News spoke with one family about what the past six months have been like.
"She's remembering everything that happened," Anna Walker said.
Walker, her siblings and her mother, Olena, wiped away tears remembering the horror and nightmares back in their small village in Ukraine in the days and weeks after Russia's invasion.
"You can lose a whole family at once by one missile attack or someone goes into your house and kills everyone," Walker said. "That's what happened with a lot of families in Ukraine."
Walker lives in Philadelphia with her husband and sponsored visas for her mother and younger brother and sister to come to the U.S.
In June, they left everything they knew behind and made the dangerous 24-hour trek by bus across Ukraine through destruction and ruins and escaped into Poland.
"During those journeys, sometimes people get attacked and killed," Walker said, "so it was a hard decision to make."
Walker's father had to stay behind and now, her family is starting over in Philadelphia.
Her brother and sister will be starting school and on this day, marking 31 years of Ukraine's independence, she says she's thankful her family is here and safe.
"I don't have to think they're going to get killed in Ukraine," Walker said, "or if they're going to survive or not."
Walker's siblings and mom have a two-year visa through the Uniting for Ukraine program.
It's still unclear what the future holds. They're just hoping they can all be reunited with their dad in the near future.
