COLUMBUS, Ohio — Irene Dalakova along with her husband, Slavic Zhukovskyi, and their two sons Dany and Tommy, and daughter, Anastasia, ran to the arms of her parents and sister who live here in Columbus.
When the war broke out in Ukraine they didn't know what would happen -- but they knew they had to leave.
“I want to squeeze them,” said Sophia Spencer, who lives in Columbus.
Spencer left Ukraine with her parents 18 years ago.
When the war broke out there in February her sister, Irene, left too.
“Basically she saved her husband by leaving instant,” Spencer said.
They left as soon as her husband got the notice to serve, together with their three young kids.
“Obviously the kids don't understand,” Spencer explained. “She's just like 'we're camping we're just camping.’”
After more than a month of traveling, some days with a lack of basic needs, they arrived in Tijuana, Mexico more than a week ago where they had to wait three days in line to cross the border to the United States.
Spencer said they were number 720 in line.
“Once they crossed the border, they went to a Jewish temple in San Diego,” Spencer detailed.
After two days, a local family, with seven kids of their own took them in.
Monday was their last day with them before boarding their final two flights to Columbus.
They celebrated with cake for young Tommy, his 10th birthday.
And that's why Tuesday, Spencer carried a birthday balloon with her to the airport in Columbus, awaiting their arrival.
“There they are!” she shouted as they appeared coming down the escalator.
The kids ran to the arms of their grandparents and aunt and uncle.
“Still in a little bit of a state of shock. It's kind of unbelievable,” said Spencer.
A moment so unreal for this family, their grandma had to hug them twice and kiss their hands. Hands that carried their only belongings thousands of miles.
They left nearly everything behind including their pets and Salvic’s parents, whom they will likely never see again.
“I don't know if they will be able to go home but at least here we are together now,” Spencer said. "This is definitely Jesus' doing, helping us reunite like this,” Spencer said, translating for her mother.
A reunion marking day one of starting over.
If you'd like to support their travel costs and rebuilding efforts, you can go to their GoFundMe here.