Valentyna Kozachenko and her 12-year-old son, Dmytro, fled their hometown of Odesa after the war broke out in Ukraine. She left behind two children, five grandchildren, and her husband. She arrived in Montreal in mid-April and has received overwhelming support, with offers of a rent-free apartment, furniture, clothes, and a guitar for Dmytro, who loves music. "She was afraid to be lonely, to be without support," said Tatiana Romano, who has been coordinating efforts to bring Ukranians to Canada. But Valentyna now feels that she has family in Montreal. “She can’t believe the kindness of Canadian people,” said Romano, translating for Kozachenko. Kozachenko hopes to find work in her profession as a teacher for special needs kids, and waits for the day when the skies will be safe above Ukraine so that her husband can join her.
More: