Christian Groman, who grew up in Bluffton, Ohio and is currently studying Mechanical Engineering at Ohio Northern University, spoke to the Icon about his family members who live in western Ukraine and their experiences since the invasion by Russian forces began on February 24, 2022. Some 1.5 million Ukrainians have fled the county at the time of this report.

Icon: Are your family members still in their own homes?

Groman: My grandparents live in western Ukraine, 15 minutes from the Hungarian border…. But they are housing three families from eastern Ukraine.

Icon: My understanding is that Ukraine is almost the size of Texas.

Groman: It’s 44 million people. It takes five or six hours to drive across the country. 

Icon: Do you think your family and friends in Ohio are well informed about what is going on in Ukraine?

Groman: I love talking about Ukraine. It’s not just about what’s happening now. When I take trips, everyone is interested in hearing about what life is like over there. I love showing pictures of what I do over there and the family and friends I’m fortunate enough to go visit.

I always say that the Ukrainian people are just very caring and hospitable…. I speak with family and friends that I haven’t talked to in months or years, and it’s just like picking up where you left off.

Icon: Is it easy to stay in touch?

Groman: I call my grandparents every single day, especially with what is going on…. It’s been going on since 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea…. My grandparents say [the invasion] is uniting the Ukrainian people and all are asking what they can do to help.

Icon: Do you have recommendations for folks in Ohio, what we can do to help?

Groman: The biggest two things you can do is to continue to pray for Ukraine and the people over there. Be thinking about them and, if you’re fortunate enough, to help out monetarily…. And just educate yourself about the people of the Ukraine as a whole and understand that they are a very prideful people that are willing to do just about anything to protect the people and ideals they hold near and dear to their hearts.

People have been reaching out to me, asking how my family is doing. I know my family over there, my mom (Irina) here, and myself really appreciate the outpouring of support for the Ukrainian people…. If you want to support Ukraine financially, do a little research and make sure the money is getting to the Ukrainian people.

Attached photo: Christian Groman visited his family in Ukraine in January 2022. This photo shows him at upper left with his grandparents, cousins, mother Irina, and stepfather Jeff Burkholder on Eastern Orthodox Christmas.

He notes that people asked when he was coming home to Ohio, as troops were already massing at the borders.