Lafayette Ukrainian immigrant worries about family back home
LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) -- Marta Turianska is part of the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra. Her family is part of the Ukrainian revolt against Russia. She says she speaks to her family in Ukraine daily as they describe the horrors of their everyday life.
"It's crazy. For me, it's just evil," Turianska told News 10.
For 12 days now, Turianska's family has been fighting for their home.
On the phone with them, she hears the bombs, the sirens, and the military tanks and planes all around them.
"My family doesn't want to get out. When this thing just started, I wanted my mom to leave the country, but she was like, 'No, I'm not leaving. This is my country. I'm going to stay, and I will do whatever I can and stay until the end.' So I kind of accepted that, and I am proud of her. So is my brother, so is the rest of my family because I have my grandparents there, my aunts," Turianska said.
Her brother is living in the center of it all, the capital of Ukraine: Kyiv.
She says he's waiting to join a territory defense group, which is Ukraine's civilian army.
"He's on the list. I hope it will not come to that really because this is dangerous. As you can imagine, everything is dangerous. Yesterday they killed a family who were supposed to pass safely. They just shot them for no reason, and this is happening all the time. They shoot at volunteer cars, medical cars, ambulances. There is nothing human," Turianska added.
She says her brother sees Russia's army bombing schools and hospitals and believes they're targeting civilians. On top of that, her brother says they're lacking food, medical supplies, and weapons.
"Are you scared that your family could die?" News 10 asked Turianska.
"Of course I am," she responded.
She says from the United States, all she can do to help her family is raise money and supplies to help Ukrainians, and she says Acadiana is answering the call for help.
"I'm very grateful to this community for helping me and helping my country because being away right now is hard," Turianska said.
The Acadiana Symphony Orchestra is standing behind Turianska and two other Ukrainian musicians in the program.
They're raising money to send back help and supplies to people in Ukraine just like Turianska's family. The money raised will get things like food, clothes, medicine, and shelter to the people in Ukraine.
The orchestra started a fundraiser on Friday and has already raised over $10,000.
Executive Director Dana Baker says Turianska and the other Ukrainians in the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra are so thankful.
"Speaking to one, it brought me to tears because I thought, well this is what we do. Of course we're helping. Of course we're helping you. She's so grateful to know her community loves them too," Baker said.
To make a donation, head to the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra's website.