PARMA, Ohio — One year ago, families were waking up in Ukraine to find themselves in the middle of war. Millions were forced to flee or be caught in Russian airstrikes.
That is the same day Ivan Prodanyk left his home with his family and started a journey to Northeast Ohio.
He was living a peaceful and happy life as an attorney in Irpin, just outside of Bucha, with his wife and two daughters.
“Like all Ukrainians, we were asleep at this time at home,” he said. “And when the war start it was horrible news for all of us early in the morning.”
He had to make a snap decision: Stay or flee?
After a three-month journey, he made it here to Northeast Ohio where his parents live in North Royalton.
“I have a brother who is now a Ukrainian soldier and he’s now fighting for our freedom,” Prodanyk said.
Prodanyk’s town was one of the first to be invaded. The main bridge was destroyed in an effort to stop Russian troops from crossing.
Now, he’s using his legal background for USCRI – a refugee agency in Cleveland helping families, like his, find employment, get documentation and find a place to live.
On this milestone mark of one year since he was forced to flee, Prodanyk did the other thing he loves: Performing music and putting on a concert to benefit Ukraine.
The concert was free and open to the public at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Parma-Snow branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library on Pearl Road. He's only asking for donations that will be used to benefit the refugees here in Northeast Ohio and back to Ukraine.
You can watch footage from the concert below: