Student who fled Ukraine feels at home at Maryland Catholic high school

HYATTSVILLE, Maryland — 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 have 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 stay 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 discovered the piece of music that the ensemble can be performing, and he performed the xylophone and cymbals within the efficiency.

“He obtained an enormous ovation,” Gatti stated.

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

Sitting at a picnic desk on a gentle spring afternoon, the coed wore a white DeMatha polo shirt and had a free interval after taking a geometry check earlier that day.

Close by, displayed on the surface of DeMatha’s major constructing have been two banners noting the college’s “Religion-Crammed Gents and Students” and its hallmarks of religion, group 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 peaceful voice, Dmytriiev recounted his journey from Ukraine to Maryland.

He and his youthful brother have been dwelling in Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, with their mom, Anna, who had been a nurse. His mother and father 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 conflict 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 subsequent 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 have been greater than 12 miles from the border.

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

Carrying his backpack, Dmytriiev stated 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 desirous about,” Dmytriiev stated. “I saved telling him, ‘There’s somewhat bit left, and we’ll be effective. 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 stated to the boys as he left them there, Dmytriiev answered: “He stated, ‘Every thing might be effective, and I’ll deal with it.’” As he repeated his father’s phrases, his voice broke barely with emotion.

The subsequent 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 have been all so fortunate. She discovered individuals who gave us shelter and every thing we wanted,” Dmytriiev stated.

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

“She’s my grandmother, and I actually love her,” Dmytriiev stated. “I do know she all the time beloved me and was prepared to assist it doesn’t matter what. She’s the sort of one who 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 stated he talks along with his members of the family again in Ukraine each two to 3 days, often with a video chat.

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

His mom has been helping fellow nurses and volunteering at hospitals there. His father opened up one in all his homes for refugees to remain in and has been serving to individuals in his village. And he stated 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 pleased being right here,” he stated. “The academics, they’re superb and type.” Only a couple days after he arrived on the faculty, he made lots of pals.

Mykhailo attends Catherine T. Reed Elementary Faculty in Lanham.

A member of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Dmytriiev stated that when Russia invaded his nation, “I used to be really praying and asking that every thing can be effective.”

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

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

Watching the information about Ukraine is tough, however he is aware of the Ukrainian individuals “gained’t give up, and (they may) hold combating to the tip,” Dmytriiev stated.

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

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’ve it (freedom), we need to defend it,” he stated.

He hopes the conflict will finish and Ukraine stays free, so he can return to his nation. Sooner or later he’d prefer to have kids “and ensure after they develop up, nothing will occur to them that occurred to me.”

He goals of presumably changing into an actor sometime and expressed admiration for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a former actor and comic.

“I actually love him,” he stated. “Lots of people have been pondering he would go away 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 may) end what they began.”

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