Utah family takes in Ukrainian family fleeing war after meeting on social media

SYRACUSE, Utah — A household from southcentral Ukraine is now calling Utah their dwelling after assembly a Utah couple on-line who had been whole strangers. That couple welcomed the household of 5, plus their canine, into their Syracuse dwelling.

Household time across the kitchen desk is commonly time to bond and share tales. For Aaron and Cari Peterson, that point currently has been spent sitting throughout from Vitalii Holovchenko, Natalia Sokolviak, their two younger youngsters, and Natalia’s mom, Nadiia Zhmur.

The 2 households can keep on a dialog regardless that the Peterson’s solely converse English, and other than Vitalii understanding some English, the Holovchenko household solely speaks Ukrainian.

“We frequently perceive what one another is saying, and we’re not even talking the identical language,” Cari defined. “We will simply inform what one another is saying.”

The dialog on Sunday centered round 5-year-old Dima beginning kindergarten within the coming week. Aaron requested, via Google translate, if Dima wished a bicycle.

“Sure!” Dima exclaimed. The desk stuffed with laughter.

They might not converse Dima’s language, however what the little boy and his household had been going via spoke to the Petersons after the 2 households linked in a Fb group linking Ukrainians with American sponsors for the Uniting for Ukraine Program.

Aaron mentioned Natalia despatched him a message saying they had been on the lookout for a sponsor. The household lived lower than a half hour from the entrance traces of the conflict, with the fixed menace that Russia would assault their metropolis, Kryvyi Rih.

The Petersons realized that Natalia and Vitalii and their two youngsters, Dima and 11-month-old Marharyta, needed to cope with emergency sirens day by day as planes flew overhead. The couple owned a house, and Vitalii may typically hear capturing from his yard. They didn’t have a protected place to cover.

“Their youngsters had been going to mattress with jets flying over, and bombs flying over, and bullets– listening to the sound of weapons,” Aaron defined.

“They wanted to get someplace protected, and so they have youngsters identical to we did, so how may we not assist?” Cari expressed.

The Petersons, who’ve three youngsters of their very own, ages 14-20, rapidly determined they’d not solely sponsor Vitalii and Natalia’s household but additionally allow them to come reside of their dwelling.

They arrange a Zoom name, as a result of, as Cari mentioned with a chuckle, “we wished to verify we had been every actual folks.”

Vitalii had the identical thought, saying they had been at first frightened of not understanding Aaron or his household.

However after the Zoom session, the {couples} determined to maneuver ahead and commenced planning to get the household out of Ukraine and to Utah.

The household of 5 packed up in Ukraine with their gigantic Cane Corso named Tony Stark and rode a practice to Poland; Aaron mentioned the journey took 24 hours. The household flew out of Poland and landed in Los Angeles at LAX.

Aaron additionally flew into LAX, ready for Vitalii, Natalia, Nadiia, the children, and the canine on the airport. It was the primary time they’d seen one another in particular person.

“After they got here via, they’d all their baggage, all their life possessions, and their canine on a cart wheeling out with them. And so, I used to be met with the chance of 5 Ukrainians, one Ukrainian canine, and many baggage,” Aaron recounted, chuckling. “And at that second, I wasn’t certain how I used to be going to get again.”

Aaron mentioned he and Vitalii rented the largest automobile they may. They managed to pack everybody in and drive 12 hours in a single day from LA to Aaron’s Syracuse dwelling.

Whereas one of many Peterson youngsters doesn’t reside at dwelling, the couple had to determine the way to match everybody in together with their two teenagers. They gave Vitalii and Natalia their very own dwelling house within the basement, plus a few bedrooms.

“We had been slightly brief on beds,” Aaron mentioned. “Ikea is a Godsend,” Cari added, with fun. In addition they bought toys for Dima and Marharyta and child gadgets like a crib and stroller.

The home could also be slightly cramped, nevertheless it’s apparent that there’s a lot room of their hearts. Cari mentioned Vitalii and Natalia are household to them now.

“It’s been a very good expertise,” Cari mentioned.

Vitalii, Natalia, and Nadiia are constructing their lives from scratch. Vitalii is at the moment ready for a piece authorization to get a job, however Aaron defined that the paperwork is being processed very slowly.

The household hopes to discover a place of their very own to reside ultimately. They simply bought a automobile this week to get round on their very own.

On Sunday, they’d a singular alternative to satisfy different Ukrainians in the identical boat as them at a meetup in South Salt Lake.

The group Utah Ukrainian Neighborhood hosted what they referred to as Blissful Hour for the Ukrainians, which was a casual three-hour occasion at Fitts Park in South Salt Lake. Beneath one of many pavilions, a couple of dozen Ukrainian immigrants and refugees met one another and made connections.

Organizer Maryna Detsyura defined how they see new faces at every month-to-month meetup as extra Ukrainians flee the conflict and arrive in Utah.

Their objective is to offer neighborhood and assist, giving Ukrainians like Vitalii and Natalia a chance to talk their native language whereas serving to them really feel linked to their dwelling nation.

“Folks meet mates right here, then they are going to be capable to be in contact with one another, and simply create new mates, and create networking in the event that they need to do one thing collectively and simply, that’s type of an ideal alternative for them,” Detsyura mentioned.

Between the South Salt Lake meetup and the Peterson dwelling, Vitalii and Natalia expressed their appreciation as they work to name Utah their new dwelling.

“Aaron accepts us like household,” Vitalii mentioned, wanting down at Google Translate on his cellphone and studying what it mentioned in English. “They’ve an enormous coronary heart. Because of such folks, we at the moment are alive and heat and protected.”

To assist the Holovchenko household start their new life, the Petersons arrange a GoFundMe account* to boost funds for the household of 5.

*KSL TV doesn’t guarantee that the cash deposited to the account might be utilized for the advantage of the individuals named as beneficiaries. If you’re contemplating a deposit to the account, it’s best to seek the advice of your individual advisers and in any other case proceed at your individual threat.