"Everyone I know and love is right now in Ukraine," said Victoria Pidliesetska.
For Pidliesetska, it is an agonizing wait. Half a world away watching the war unfold in our homeland wondering what will happen next.
"You're afraid to go to bed at night because you are not sure what news you'll wake up to," said Pidliesetska. "In the morning, even if you had several hours of sleep, you wake up and you're afraid to turn on your phone, and to see because you don't know what is going to hit you. It's a disaster."
Pidliesetska and her young son left Ukraine on Christmas Eve after spending more than a year and a half with her family due to COVID-19.
She says it was a hard decision to return to the U.S. knowing there was the threat of war, but like so many others she didn't think it would really happen.
She says it is a nightmare come true -- her family hiding in bomb shelters and friends who just had a baby that she can no longer contact.
"My friends who are currently in the Kyiv area are left there without electricity, power, water with a newborn," said Pidliesetska. "And we have not heard from them since Thursday."
Victoria is doing all she can from the U.S. to try to help those who have fled find housing, and is trying to help the hundreds of orphans trapped in the midst of the war. However, there is only so much she can do.
"Not being able to directly help is probably the worst thing that could happen to all the Ukrainians who are currently here," said Pidliesetska.
For ways to help Ukrainian refugees and relief efforts, click here.