Student who fled Ukraine feels at home at Maryland Catholic high school – Arlington Catholic Herald

HYATTSVILLE, Md. — As musicians within the Superior Percussion Ensemble of DeMatha Catholic Excessive Faculty gathered on stage for a current live performance at their Hyattsville faculty, one of many performers — a brand new scholar there — didn’t have time to get a tux like the opposite scholar musicians had been sporting, so he donned a DeMatha blazer and khakis.

Earlier than the efficiency, Michael Gatti, chairman of DeMatha’s music division and the percussion teacher, launched that scholar to the viewers.

He was Ivan Dmytriiev, 17, a Ukrainian refugee who had arrived in the US along with his 6-year-old brother, Mykhailo, after a harrowing escape from his nation simply after Russia launched its invasion there.

Dmytriiev and his brother dwell with their grandparents, Olga D. Carlson and Ronald Carlson, in Lanham, Maryland, and he began attending DeMatha in April.

In Ukraine, the teenager attended a music faculty and performed the drums and xylophone. Earlier than the DeMatha live performance, he realized the piece of music that the ensemble could be performing, and he performed the xylophone and cymbals within the efficiency.

“He acquired an enormous ovation,” Gatti mentioned.

In a Might 19 interview at DeMatha, Dmytriiev mentioned that live performance was a enjoyable expertise for him. “I used to be blissful. My band was very good,” he instructed the Catholic Commonplace, newspaper of the Archdiocese of Washington.

Sitting at a picnic desk on a light spring afternoon, the scholar wore a white DeMatha polo shirt and had a free interval after taking a geometry take a look at earlier that day.

Close by, displayed on the skin of DeMatha’s important constructing had been two banners noting the college’s “Religion-Stuffed Gents and Students” and its hallmarks of religion, neighborhood service, teachers, arts and athletics. And displayed on the wall in between the banners was a big blue and yellow Ukrainian flag.

Talking English in a relaxed voice, Dmytriiev recounted his journey from Ukraine to Maryland.

He and his youthful brother had been residing in Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, with their mom, Anna, who had been a nurse. His dad and mom are divorced, and his father, Sergey, lives in a village south of the capital, the place he has a enterprise. His older brother, Alex, simply completed his grasp’s diploma two weeks earlier than the battle began.

On Feb. 24, the day of the invasion, Dmytriiev’s father got here to Kyiv and took him and Mykhailo to his village for security.

The following day they determined to drive to the border with Poland, about 400 miles away. About 62 miles from the border, visitors stopped. After sleeping the evening within the automobile, and realizing they didn’t have sufficient gasoline or meals to attend there, they began strolling after they had been greater than 12 miles from the border.

Alongside the way in which, volunteers provided assist to the fleeing refugees. “Individuals who understood the state of affairs helped,” he mentioned of the Ukrainians. “It doesn’t matter what, they assist one another. It actually impressed me … and I wish to do the identical.”

Carrying his backpack, Dmytriiev mentioned he simply had “a few T-shirts, pants and a few meals.” Generally he and his father carried Mykhailo on their shoulders, however he principally walked beside them.

“My little brother is an actual hero. I couldn’t think about what he was enthusiastic about,” Dmytriiev mentioned. “I stored telling him, ‘There’s a bit of bit left, and we’ll be high-quality. We’ll go to mattress and have a pleasant sleep.’ He didn’t even cry. He was courageous.”

At midnight Feb. 27, Dmytriiev crossed the border into Poland along with his little brother.

Requested what his father mentioned to the boys as he left them there, Dmytriiev answered: “He mentioned, ‘Every part might be high-quality, and I’ll deal with it.’” As he repeated his father’s phrases, his voice broke barely with emotion.

The following day, the boys’ grandmother arrived in Poland to be with them and assist them get to the US. “My grandmother instantly got here to Poland. … We had been all so fortunate. She discovered individuals who gave us shelter and every thing we would have liked,” Dmytriiev mentioned.

He famous that his grandmother in Maryland had been watching the information about Ukraine. She and his grandfather determined to do no matter they might to assist the boys, and she or he initially discovered mates of mates to offer them a spot to remain in Poland.

“She’s my grandmother, and I actually love her,” Dmytriiev mentioned. “I do know she all the time liked me and was keen to assist it doesn’t matter what. She’s the sort of one that thinks of others if they’ve some sort of drawback.”

The boys stayed in Poland a couple of week, as Dmytriiev’s passport was up to date. On March 10, the boys and their grandmother arrived at Dulles Worldwide Airport within the Washington space.

The teenager mentioned he talks along with his relations again in Ukraine each two to 3 days, often with a video chat.

“Proper now, every thing appears quiet. They’re in a protected place,” he mentioned.

His mom has been aiding fellow nurses and volunteering at hospitals there. His father opened up considered one of his homes for refugees to remain in and has been serving to individuals in his village. And he mentioned his older brother has additionally been volunteering, bringing meals to aged residents and collaborating in a neighborhood watch.

Dmytriiev is a junior at DeMatha. “I’m actually blissful being right here,” he mentioned. “The academics, they’re superb and type.” Only a couple days after he arrived on the faculty, he made numerous mates.

Mykhailo attends Catherine T. Reed Elementary Faculty in Lanham.

A member of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Dmytriiev mentioned that when Russia invaded his nation, “I used to be truly praying and asking that every thing could be high-quality.”

He continues to wish for the protection of his household again dwelling and for peace there.

“At evening earlier than I am going to mattress, I thank God for every thing he’s given me, for giving me the chance to depart and be overseas. I’m grateful I’m right here in a protected place,” he mentioned.

Watching the information about Ukraine is tough, however he is aware of the Ukrainian individuals “gained’t give up, and (they’ll) maintain preventing to the top,” Dmytriiev mentioned.

Freedom “is essential, as a result of that’s what our great-grandparents tried to have,” he mentioned.

After centuries of invasions, occupations, hunger and repression, Ukraine turned impartial in 1991. Now Russia has come to attempt to destroy it.

“Now that we now have it (freedom), we wish to defend it,” he mentioned.

He hopes the battle will finish and Ukraine stays free, so he can return to his nation. At some point he’d prefer to have youngsters “and ensure after they develop up, nothing will occur to them that occurred to me.”

He desires of probably turning into an actor sometime and expressed admiration for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a former actor and comic.

“I actually love him,” he mentioned. “Lots of people had been considering he would depart and wouldn’t deal with it. As we are able to see, he confirmed his bravery and confirmed that the Ukrainian individuals won’t ever give up, and (they’ll) end what they began.”

Zimmermann is editor of the Catholic Commonplace newspaper of the archdiocese of Washington.