FORT MILL S.C. (CN2 NEWS) – As the devastation continues to unfold in Ukraine, a Fort Mill couple who has family and friends in the country say they are heartbroken at the violence and praying for it to stop.
This couple owns a dance studio here, and they were recently in the Ukraine for a dance competition. CN2’s Renee O’Neil sitting down with them, learning more about their family and how people here in the states can support those impacted.
Gabriela Sevillano Solomakha sharing, “I love the country, its beautiful, the food, the culture, the country, the land, the nature, the people are very kind, very opening, so to see this happening is really surreal.”
Gabriela Sevillano and her husband Dmitriy speaking with us from their studio, Dance Center USA. Their heartache continues to escalate as they watch what’s happening in Ukraine unfold.
“I found a picture at a café we had coffee and the place is completely bombed, I saw it and I couldn’t believe it”, explains Gabriela.
The country they both love so much, now a war zone. Dmitriy was born and raised in Ukraine in a town just about 200 miles from the destruction. He came to the US to continue his dancing career that’s how he met Gabriela.
He became a U.S. citizen back in 2020. His family is still back in Ukraine, right now he feels lucky they are all ok.
“So far its been one of the most safest towns so far, grocery stores are still open, it doesn’t change the whole situation, they are hosting a family from Kyiv who pretty much drove the 2nd day it all started”, says Dimitriy.
Things could change in an instant as they learn about friends living through the unthinkable.
Gabriela shares, “We have a lot of friends who are dancers who are in different towns and cities, its really sad, it’s heart-aching, just seeing the destruction, just seeing what war does, you look a the videos and its like from second world wars”, says Gabriela.
They both say the best thing we can do here at home is pray.
“If you are a spiritual person, no matter what religion you are, no matter what you believe in, if you pray, if you send good vibes good energy and really keep those people in your minds and your thoughts, that helps a lot,” says Gabriela.
Along with praying, the couple adds this website will donate directly to Ukraine’s military.
Dmitriy adding growing up, he luckily did not experience war. He says he’s proud of his country and what he learned while was there.
