SCARBOROUGH, Maine — Viktor Stoliarov and Nataliia Stoliarova were in Ukraine’s capital city Kyiv the day Russia invaded their country.
"I looked everywhere in the store and what was happening was very scary,” Nataliia remembered. “I went home. I was home until the evening. There was a lot of shooting and then explosions. I went to hide in the bathroom with the cat."
The husband and wife made the difficult decision to leave their country months after the war started.
Viktor and Nataliia said they packed up everything they could and got a ride to Lviv, Ukraine. From there, they took a 10-hour bus to Poland and flew to the U.S.
The couple is now staying with Viktor's daughter, Lesia Noble, her husband Don, and their four children in Scarborough.
“I love it,” Lesia said. “I'm so happy they're here. I know the sad part because of the war, but I'm grateful we could give them this."
Lesia said they have already found their place in the community–a new home.
"[They’re] always doing little projects, always having fun,” Don explained. “I'll be like, ‘What's [Viktor] doing now?' He planted something, alright."
Don said living with his in-laws has given him and his children a chance to know the family they hardly knew.
Unfortunately, it's not always smiles for Don and his wife. Lesia's mother is still in Ukraine. She's unable to travel because of her health.
"... It's still hard, but I still like to look for the positives, you know," Lesia said.
And there are many positives. Lesia's mother is OK. Through the GoFundMe, Help Friends and Family in Ukraine, the Nobles have been able to send food and supplies to loved ones in Ukraine, and Viktor and Nataliia are safe in Maine.
Viktor and Nataliia said they were able to come to the U.S. through the Uniting for Ukraine program.
They explained a lot of people in Ukraine want to come to the states, but the program requires participants to have a supporter who agrees to provide them with financial support during their stay, which is a two-year period.
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