Ukrainian refugees in Hawaii struggling to get by a year into the war

By Kristen Consillio

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    KANEOHE, Hawaii (KITV) — In an instant, Roman Chetverikov and Olga Grom’s lives were destroyed.

“You have happy life and one time — just in one day — everything changed,” Olga said. You lost everything.”

Olga was a stay-at-home mom to her two young children in Kyiv and Roman, a successful businessman with a chain of toy stores — the war robbing him of years of hard work.

“We saw some rockets, we saw some explosions. It was near to us and maybe a couple miles from us,” Roman said. “Of course it’s painful because we lost everything.”

Dozens of Ukrainian families here in Hawaii are still struggling to get by. Many of them trying to reestablish themselves a year into the war.

Since the war, the Ukrainian couple, who were married in 2015 at Waimanalo beach, have set down new roots here in the islands.

But it hasn’t been easy. They escaped Ukraine with just over a thousand dollars in their pocket.

“It’s not easy to start over,” Roman said. “(But) it’s OK. It’s life.”

With help from friends — and strangers — they’ve been able to keep a roof over their heads. For now, they’re living with a family in Kaneohe until they can get back on their feet.

“It’s the best place to live,” Roman said.

“Hawaii is a special place,” Olga added.

Roman’s still trying to get a job and Olga’s building up a photography business to be able to survive in paradise.

Despite the trauma of war — and being thousands of miles away from home — the couple is grateful.

“We have legs, we have arms, we have head, no problems with our health and we have beautiful children,” Roman said. “We are happy because we are alive.”

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