TOLEDO, Ohio — For many Ukrainians living in the United States, watching the Russian invasion of their native country and worrying about family there has left them filled with a mixture of anxiety and disbelief.
That's the circumstance for one north Toledo family who say they fear what is happening in Ukraine is actually far worse even than what many Americans are seeing and hearing in news coverage of the invasion.
"As far as imagining that this could ever happen, I couldn't even think in a million years that, you know, Russia would actually attack Ukraine," said Michael Mayzlin, who is a north Toledo father from Ukraine.
He and his daughter, Michelle Dangler, are worried for their family as they witness the horrific attack on their country.
"It's scary because the neighborhood where our cousin Masha and her husband have an apartment got bombed and Masha's mom lives like a 30-minute walk from where the bombs hit in that neighborhood," Dangler said.
Dangler and her mother, Lorrie Mayzlin, recently started working at Lowrider Cafe in downtown Toledo.
Co-owner Jacob Estrada says they want to show full support to the family and everyone from Ukraine.
"We all have something to give. And right now, I think if the roles were reversed, you know, we would want the help as well. So I think in that situation anything could go far away. For somebody who has to uproot and leave their home," Estrada said.
With little to no options left, leaving home is exactly what the family has had to do.
"Packed two suitcases. Closed up the apartment. My cousin and her mom and they're gone. They have been traveling for 36 hours," Mayzlin said Friday. "Fortunately, they made it to Poland yesterday."
"They're lucky that they got out when they did because just a few hours after they departed from the main train the Russians blew it up," Dangler said.
For now, they can breathe a sigh of relief, but they want the American people to know that not all Russians are bad.
"The first thing that Americans should realize is that not all people are evil," Mayzlin said. "If you listen to everyone right now, there's strong anti-Russian sentiment going on."
The Mayzlin family said they know there are families on both sides of the war.
The family says it's especially tough right now because they can't regularly communicate with their loved ones in Europe.
They want everyone to know the people fleeing Ukraine could use a lot of help. There are several ways to donate if you'd like to help.
Mayzlin says his family has benefited from the International Red Cross and the World Central Kitchen.
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