GREENSBORO, N.C. — Two Greensboro neighbors and a University of North Carolina Greensboro alumni are raising money to help an old friend and her daughters escape the violence in Ukraine.
Anna Kolesnik lived in Greensboro in 2003 as part of an international faculty development program at UNCG. Kolesnik, an English professor, met David Taylor and Adrienne Everheart, eventually living with Everheart.
Kolesnik stayed in Greensboro for a year and then went back to Ukraine, but Everheart and Taylor stayed in touch with her. When the Russian invasion began, they got worried. All adult men in Ukraine were required to stay and fight if needed, so Anna's husband was not able to come with her.
"I didn’t think that she and the children were going to make it out alive and I just prayed all night long for their safety while they were traveling," Everheart said.
Taylor has also spoken with Kolesnik on the phone.
"I could hear gunshots I could hear the sounds of battle in the background and her youngest daughter (...) is nine years old and she would go in the bathroom and hide behind the washing machine and put a pillow over her and a pillow around her ears. It's horrible," Taylor said.
The two have started a GoFundMe for Anna and her two daughters. The family has reached Romania and they hope to get to Amsterdam soon.
"We had heard reports that even if you were in Ukraine and you went to the bank you actually couldn’t get your money out so there were problems getting cash and we thought that this GoFundMe would help her travel, do whatever she needed to do, start her new life for her and her daughters and hopefully will raise enough money to rescue her family if that’s what is even possible," Everheart said.
Everheart said she shared the app on NextDoor and the response has been wonderful.
"They’ve really reached out and (given) what they can and it feels so good to know that she is still supported even though she’s not here," said Everheart.