Travis Air Force Base captain helps mother escape Ukraine

By Laura Haefeli

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    VACAVILLE, California (KOVR) — On her birthday, Ukrainian refugee Lubov Karga has made it to the United States, thanks to the kindness of strangers and a determined daughter.

Captain Zlatoslava Karga of the United States Air Force, stationed at Travis Air Force base, was the one who got her mother out of Kyiv.

“It’s a story, that in our world that has evil we still have more good,” says Captain Karga. “When the war broke out one of the first concerns was, I want to get my mom out.”

Karga has been in the U.S. since 2001 and has served with the Air Force since 2019. She now had to convince her lifelong Ukrainian mother to leave home behind.

“The thought she had to leave that place was unbearable,” said Cpt. Karga.

After weeks of convincing 67-year-old Lubov Karga, she agreed it was time to go.

First, a local travel agent helped her to flee Kyiv.

“He picked my mom up [and] a couple of other people and drove them to a safe house,” said Cpt. Karga.

Cpt. Karga then had to find a place for her mother to stay until she could get to Poland, so she turned to social media.

“Facebook is what saved mom’s life,” she said.

A stranger on Facebook connected her mother to a family who would house her until a polish volunteer was able to get her out of Ukraine. Once in Poland, Lubov flew to the United States where after seven years she saw her daughter for the first time.

“I see her and it’s a surreal reality,” Cpt. Karga said.

A reality made possible only because of a brave woman and the kindness of strangers.

“We have people who never knew each other but did everything to save somebody’s life. All of you are children of God, you are angels,” said Cpt. Karga.

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