Mom escapes Ukraine, survived in a bomb shelter
Article originally published in our sister paper The Lamont Leader
Bruderheim resident Olga Renneberg was thrilled to see her mother last week, after the 56-year-old woman was able to escape Ukraine and come to Canada.
Renneberg met her mother at the airport in a tearful reunion captured by local news media outlets.
“It is a huge relief,” Renneberg said during a later interview with the Lamont Leader.
“I’m glad she is here and I’m glad she is safe.”
Renneberg’s mother, Liudmyla Volovyk, was in a bomb shelter under a school in Kyiv for two weeks before escaping Ukraine.
She carried only a backpack and managed to get on a train that took her to the city of Lviv. Volovyk crossed the border in Poland where she secured a plane ticket and landed in Edmonton March 7.
Renneberg said later that her mother was lucky to escape.
“My mom got away easy because she was alone. She didn’t have kids or elderly people she needed to take care of.
“She just had herself. But can you imagine having at least one kid or a pet and a suitcase and stuff for them and try to get on the train?
“The train, on a regular basis, takes 200 people and there are 600 people in it. People stand all the way for eight hours and not even be able to sit. You can’t just lay down. You have literally no space and every free inch is filled,” she said.
While Volovyk had barely slept over the past couple of weeks, Renneberg said resting now was the last thing her mother wanted to do after her first restful night at Renneberg’s home.
“She woke up early and started cleaning right away. She was exhausted but she always needs to move. She needs to do something instead of listening to the news and worrying about her friends and family,” she said.
“Right now, her friend and her godson, they are still in Kyiv and live close to the place where this morning a missile fell. Her godson is 14.”
Although the two are adjusting to the new arrangements, Renneberg said her mother does not want to stay permanently.
“She can definitely stay with us as long as she needs, but she wants to go home eventually and she will do that when it’s safe,” she said.
“So far her home is ok as much as I know.”
Meanwhile Olga and her husband’s children are enjoying time with grandma.
Jana Semeniuk
