INDIANAPOLIS — A Ukrainian family who made the difficult decision to flee is staying here in Indianapolis with lifelong friends.
“It’s beyond words. The gratitude and our love to them is beyond any words,” Olga Skrypak said. “With all the bombing when it all started and going to the bomb shelter several times a day it was really complicated with four children."
Skrypak and her family made a decision to flee Ukraine in hopes of getting to the US. Olga's husband, a pastor, stayed behind to help those in need.
“We grabbed what little we had and some money and documents and left,” Skrypak said.
From there, they made their way from Ukraine to Poland to Warsaw, from Warsaw it was a non-stop flight to Florida. That's where a friend Skrypak has known for more than 20 years was waiting with open arms.
“I met Olga when she was 18-years-old. I was a missionary and we went there to plant churches,” Becky Gluff said.
Gluff will tell you her and Skrypak are kindred spirits — so it was a no-brainer for Gluff and her husband, Randy, to take the Skrypaks in at their home in central Indiana.
“She called me one morning and you could hear the bombs going off and the rifles shooting and it was awful,” Gluff added.
It's a lifelong friendship now living under the same roof.
“Oh I had to do this, there is no question, Olga is like my daughter but she is not quite to be my daughter, she’s like my niece,” Gluff said.
A GoFundMe has been created to help the Skrypaks.
-
Three injured in downtown shooting
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department is investigating a shooting in downtown that left three people injured early Sunday morning.
Thousands lose SNAP benefits as city launches emergency food effort
As thousands across Indianapolis face the sudden loss of food assistance, the city and its partners are launching emergency food distributions and funding to help families put food on the table.
Abandoned historic church's parish files petition to demolish building
St. Philip Neri Church, which merged with Holy Cross Church in 2014, filed a petition on Halloween for a judge to potentially overturn the building's status because of religious freedom.
Pacers Obi Toppin out at least 3 months with a stress fracture in his foot
Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin will miss at least three months due to a stress fracture in his right foot that will require surgery, coach Rick Carlisle said Friday.
