Only days before Russia launched its attack on Ukraine, a young Florida couple traveled to Kyiv in order to be there for their daughter’s birth, who was going to be born via surrogacy. While their family is now safe, they say that they will continue to worry until they are back home in the U.S.
The U.S. couple fled Ukraine an hour after their surrogate gave birth.
When the American couple arrived in Kyiv to meet their new daughter, they had no idea the rollercoaster they would be in for over the next few days. RELATED: Ukraine’s First Lady Encourages Strength During Her Nation’s Darkest Times: ‘I Will Not Have Panic And Tears’ Ami and Michael Kowalski had a surrogate in Ukraine, who could give birth any moment at this point. As far as the impending Russian invasion, in an interview the couple did with Today, Ami Kowalski claimed that, “Nobody locally was even really concerned about it.”
While they waited to meet their daughter, Ukraine was under attack.
Unfortunately, while they arrived a few days before the attack, the baby did not arrive until after Russia began invading, and their surrogate reportedly went into labor while in a bomb shelter. The Kowalskis realized that their trip would be a lot different than they anticipated when they awoke on Feb. 24. Their windows rattled as they discovered they were suddenly trapped in the middle of a war. Despite the situation growing progressively more dangerous and precarious for them, the Kowalskis asserted that it was “never an option” to even consider going home without their daughter. Finally, their baby girl was born on Feb. 26, and now the new family could flee for safety.
They escaped thanks to the help of many selfless people.
The family was forced to flee only an hour after the surrogate gave birth to their daughter. The family emphasizes how they never could have gotten out on their own, and Ami says, “At every turn of this story, it’s just angels that were there and supported us. I would never have imagined.” One of such angels they met along the way was Marina, a Ukrainian woman whom the couple honored with their daughter’s own name, calling her Charlotte Marina. They do not fully explain their interaction with Marina in the interview, so unfortunately we can only imagine what this selfless Ukrainian woman did to leave this young American couple so grateful. RELATED: Man Claims His Boss Lashed Out At Ukraine-Based Employees For Not Working During Russian Invasion However, Ami Kowalski asserts that Charlotte Marina “wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for her.”
Many other Ukrainian families have not been so lucky with trying to escape.
While everyone is glad to see the American couple and their newborn healthy and out of harm’s way, there are still several questions circling this story, especially regarding the fate of the surrogate. It is unclear whether she was willing or able to flee Ukraine alongside them — or even in what condition she was left in after going through labor in a bomb shelter. We must also spare a thought for the many families whose homes and lives have been destroyed by the Russian invasion. As the Kowalski’s made it to Slovakia, countless other people are still running and fighting for their lives only one border away. If you want to help other refugees who are fleeing Ukraine, you can donate to Global Empowerment Mission’s Ukraine Refugee Crisis Fund. Global Empowerment mission has temporary travel and aid center in Medyka, Poland on the Ukrainian border and is providing necessities as well as travel assistance that would help people relocate to other countries or reunite with family and friends outside of Ukraine. RELATED: Video Shows Ukrainian Mother Embracing A Stranger Who Brought Her Children Across The Border To Safety Amanda Hartmann is an editorial intern at YourTango who writes on various subjects such as news and entertainment.
