TYLER, Texas — Yeva Kononovych and Yeva Kramanova are freshman tennis players at Tyler Junior College, both directly affected by the Russian attacks as their families are back home, halfway across the world.
“When I remember this feeling of feeling so sad again,” Yeva Kramanova said.
“My family was so scared, so my father sent my little sister and my mother to Germany,” Yeva Kononovych said. “We have relatives there and we're just trying to be safe. My father is still in the city and he hears shooting all the time and explosions. It’s so scary, like no one can expect where or when it’ll come.”
Kramanova is from Nikopol just 300 kilometers from Mariupol, facing the brunt of attacks. Kononovych is from western Ukraine -- Ivano-Frankivsk to be exact, much further away but still facing attacks.
Both of their fathers are banned from leaving the country in case they’re called in to fight.
“He never even touched a gun,” Kramanova said. “How can he save his country. He doesn't even know how to do it.”
The girls are keeping in touch with their families and friends through social media, all of them glad that they’re safe in the U.S.
“They’re happy we're here with our things. We started playing tennis. People supporting us like Dash, our coach. TJC is helping us,” Kononovych said. “I mean, at least it makes our parents feel OK. Knowing that their children are safe.”
They're freshmen living out of the country for the first time not knowing if or when they can go back to Ukraine.
“That was like my biggest wish at the beginning of semester. Not that I will end this semester and go back home. But now I just I can't I don't know if I can do this.”
Kramarova’s flight is already booked. But the pair are thankful for their coaches and teammates, making all of this a little easier.
“We're welcomed here,” Kononovych said. “This is our second family, really solid.”
