FORT WORTH, Texas — It’s the kind of lifelong friendship one would move mountains for.
Fort Worth resident Irinia Hawk is devastated by the news of the war in Ukraine, where her childhood best friend, Olesia, lived with her family.
“She’s so close to me,” Hawk said. “I see her as my family.
Olesia was the only bridesmaid in Hawk’s wedding. The two grew up on the same street in Kyrgyzstan and formed a bond before they could even walk or talk.
“We went together in kindergarten, pre-K, all the way until we became adults,” Hawk said.
As adults, Hawk moved to the U.S. and landed in Fort Worth. Olesia moved to Ukraine.
“My heart is broken, not just for my friend, for all people,” said Hawk.
Her friend, Olesia, lost her husband to COVID-19 not long before the Russian war in Ukraine erupted.
When Russia invaded Olesia’s city of Odessa, the widow hopped on a crowded train with her two young kids and fled.
“She she had no choice. She took her kids, got whatever she could, her jackets, clothes, then went to Romania,” said Hawk.
With Hawk’s help in coordinating a place to stay, Olesia and her children were introduced to a stranger in Romania who welcomed the three of them into her home.
“I still can’t believe how much love and generosity people showed us from America to Romania,” Hawk said. “So much kindness… helps me see light in this world through these people.”
Now, Hawk is on a mission to bring Olesia and her children to Fort Worth.
“She’s closer than a sister to me, and that’s why I would love to share everything I have with her,” said Hawk.
Hawk launched a GoFundMe to cover Olesia’s travel costs. In just two days, donations quickly poured in, and Hawk has raised nearly $2,000. However, getting her friend to the U.S. is not so simple.
Olesia has a passport and a U.S. visa, but her children don’t have a passport. Hawk told WFAA that when Olesia went to the Ukrainian embassy to obtain passports for her children, she was told the building and computers, which held the information, were destroyed in the war.
Now, it’s evolved into a legal hurdle that Hawk is trying to help her friend navigate.
“Very stressful,” said Hawk.
Hawk told WFAA she’s hanging onto her faith and believes that if her friend got so far through the help of strangers, then the journey isn’t over.
For now, Hawk is praying for a reunion with her lifelong friend.