A Ukrainian refugee is thousands of miles away from her home with two children and a backpack filled with clothes. Maryana Harmash recently arrived in San Jose and is now asking the community for help.

“I thank god and my friends my kids are here. It’s better than Ukraine, I cry a lot. It’s true,” she said.

An entire life left behind, all for the sake of keeping her children safe.

Harmash said Ba that she and her two boys, ages 9 and 2, left Ukraine just days before the Russian invasion. She said her her 2-year-old is an American citizen, so she was warned by the U.S. embassy.

“The Russians started war, all people who are American people need to go to the U.S.,” Harmash added.