Nadiia, a 34-year-old mother of two daughters, will never forget February 2022. Then, their peaceful life in Mariupol fell apart by explosions of Russian shells.

At first, the family did not believe that it would last long. They thought they would shoot and stop. But when the city plunged into darkness without electricity, water, and heating, it became clear that this was a real war. Nadiia, her daughters, and her husband stayed in the apartment on the 9th floor, hoping disaster would pass their house. However, when the invaders entered the territory of Azovstal, it became scary.

The most terrible moment was when a shell hit the seventh floor, where Nadiia’s 13-year-old daughter was. A tearful mother waited downstairs while local men rescued her child from the burning apartment. Fortunately, the girl survived. Neighbors burned alive.

The family went down to the basement, where they barely survived on leftovers. They wanted to escape from this hell, but the DNR people did not let them go because Nadiia’s first husband was a military man. They had been interrogating the woman for hours about whether she helped the Armed Forces.

The rescue plan matured gradually. Little by little, hiding from an unkind husband, Nadiia and her daughters carried things to a friend. The girls behaved quietly so as not to arouse suspicion. One morning, a friend took them to the train station. When the man came to his senses, the family had already crossed the border.

On February 9, 2024, they finally made it to our Hope and Healing Center. Here, they were welcomed with warmth and care, provided everything they needed, and helped heal mental wounds.

In a few months, the Zakharchenko family moved to a cozy modular house in the Poltava region, which Save Ukraine offered. They slowly adapt to a peaceful life, learn to be happy, and dream again. We are helping to issue Ukrainian documents for Nadiia’s little daughter.

This story is not only about the pain and despair of one family. It reminds us of thousands of lives broken by war and about the importance of support and mercy. Each of us can help people who have been through hell. Together, we will overcome any adversity!