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PEMBROKE PINES (CBS4) – Yeva and Tymur Kuplvakhska were all smiles as they finally got to relax and let loose.
“My dad left his business, our house, our car, everything. Now we have nothing here in America,” said Yeva.
She and her family escaped Ukraine in February and after months of trying to find somewhere to stay they made it to the United States.
“We crossed with the humanitarian patrol from the border of Mexico, we got to San Diego, then we got tickets, a church helped us to buy,” said Yeva.
But as the Kuplvakhska’s were trying to find a safe place to lay their heads, Geraldine Waterhouse was watching the Evening News with Nora O’Donald and saw the story about a website where people could register to help Ukraine refugees and decided to sign up.
“It’s not like they want to leave their county and their emigrating because they want to, it’s because they don’t have anything left and it’s heartbreaking. It’s heartbreaking to see those families dismantled and I’m a mother,” said Waterhouse.
With that in mind, Waterhouse convinced her family to foster a Ukraine family, and they picked up the Kuplvakhskas from the airport.
“Can you imagine leaving everything behind and coming to the US with only two luggages and I hope that with this interview more South Florida residents will try to help,” said Waterhouse.
In the meantime, Kuplvakhskas say they are more than grateful for the help but are worried about those they left behind.
“It’s hard to lose your home, lose what you’re used to, many people, my friends and some members of my family are still in Ukraine. I hope everything will be OK,” said Yeva.
The Waterhouse family also created a GoFundMe page to help the Kuplvakhskas.
Yeva is also looking for a job, she was a real estate manager in Ukraine.