Ukrainian born Photographer

Hello!

Like so many of our clients and friends in the community, we at Studio Sage have been heartbroken watching the tragedies in Ukraine unfold.

Local beauty photographer, Daryna Barykina, who has been a part of Sage since the studio’s inception, immigrated to Jacksonville over a decade ago. Many of you who follow our salon may recognize Daryna’s familiar face from our editorial and contest work throughout the years.

Daryna and husband Alex’s personal journey to extricate their family members still residing in Ukraine has inspired us to want to connect those around us who want to help with this local family in need. Please take a few minutes to read their story.

Thank you for any and all support you provide and for sharing our fundraiser!

 

Studio Sage

 

Daryna’s Story:

 

Hello, my name is Daryna Barykina. I am a Ukrainian-born and raised beauty and

product photographer who immigrated to Jacksonville FL 11 years ago. All these

years my husband and I were building a life here in the United States from

scratch and finally achieved a point where we felt comfortable. Last year my

husband and I finally bought a home and even saved up for a vacation. We were

happy to have his parents come over from Ukraine to spend time with us. 4

months later, after they returned home, Russia invaded Ukraine and a full-scale

war began.

When we found out that all the people in my parents-in-law's building have left

and evacuated, only my husband's parents stayed in the abandoned building

getting ready to sleep on the mattress in the corridor by the door (it was

dangerous to stay in the room because of windows).

There was no basement in their house and there is no bomb shelter nearby. Alex

- my husband and I knew we had to evacuate them somehow immediately. My

husband's classmate, whom he hasn't spoken to in 18 years, Stefan, is a part of

an evacuation volunteers group. When Alex texted him, he responded

immediately and arranged the transportation in about 30 minutes. Stefan's friend

Dmitriy drove them and a few more people for 3 days through fields and dirt

roads towards Lviv. One night they stayed in Bila Tserkva and half an hour after

they left it was heavily shelled. 20 buildings were destroyed. They escaped

shelling two more times: in Vinnytsia, and Yavoriv.

It took us almost 3 weeks to get them here to the US. First to Lviv, then they

crossed the Polish border got to Warsaw, where they were quarantined (covid

requirement), and then finally they arrived in the US.

We are very happy and lucky to have them with us. But what they don't fully

realize yet is that their life has changed forever. There are no guarantees their

building will withstand the war...

With no knowledge of English, both being over 60 they have to start a new life in

a foreign country.

We consulted with a lawyer right away to see what help does the United States

provide to those fleeing the war. Currently, there is no financial, medical aid, or

housing available to refugees. TPS only allows to legally stay in the country for a

year and gain a work permit. That's it.... we started a change of status process

for my parents-in-law. Currently, our legal fees are amounting to $8,600. Our

lawyer was very kind to work with us at a discounted rate.

My grandmother, who is now so loved by my social media audience, due to my

repeated attempts to get a hold of her is now here - in the US as well. On

February 25 my grandma texted that there are 4 enemy tanks outside of her

house and helicopters flying so low that she could see a pilot through her house window.

 

Then we lost touch... for 3 weeks... I found out that there was no electricity or

gas. This means that the house will get very cold, but also she won't be able to

cook. Her house is using an electric water pump, to get water into the house. It

was not working due to an outage, so my grandma didn't have water either...

Through social media, I was able to find people whose relatives live in my

grandma's village (near Gostomel and Bucha) and they went to visit her. Later

they told me she was with a younger woman. That was my grandma's neighbor.

She is in her late 20s and pregnant.

Occupiers robbed my grandma's house twice.

The first time they robbed - was right after the invasion. Put a gun to her head

and asked if she had any weapons. She said she has no weapons and told them

to take whatever they wanted. They took food from the fridge, a microwave, an

electric kettle, and a few more small things.

My grandma was hiding her pregnant neighbor in the attic from the Russian

troops raping her. There were many cases in the nearby villages.

The second time her house was robbed after she evacuated. She gave the key

to a neighbor and asked him to feed her dogs. At the gunpoint, occupiers made

him open the door to my grandma's house and then they took bags of things,

says the neighbor. Honestly, I don't know what they could take. My grandma

doesn't have much... Clothes? Kitchenware? She doesn't have any valuables.

My grandma's evacuation is a miracle. We still don't know the name of the

woman that picked her up and took her out of the village along with the pregnant

neighbor. Do you remember the photo of the broken Irpin bridge? That one that

people are crossing knee-deep in freezing winter water? My barely walking

grandma had to cross that bridge too. While volunteers helped her cross over,

Russian troops were laughing, making fun of them, and fired in the air...

Volunteers helped my grandma first get to Kyiv, where she stayed with our

friends for a day, then to Lviv, where our relatives got her through the Polish

border. My mom then flew to Poland and brought grandma home here in the US.

We are incredibly lucky to have my grandma and parents-in-law with us. But the

financial situation is tough. My grandma moved in with my mom, dad, and two of

my brothers. Her change of status legal fees is estimated at $5000.

My father-in-law wants to work, he potentially could work with my dad in the

warehouse, but it is a 20 min drive from our home, so Alex and I will be saving up

for a down payment, getting a loan, to buy them a car.

Currently, I translate all documents into English, preparing it for the lawyer. I feel

blessed to have clients who give me work during such times. Alex also working extra shifts so we can support his parents.

I also collaborate with American child book authors, and volunteer by translating

fairy tales to little children in Ukraine over zoom. Every time we have over 100

children joining us for storytime. Alex and I will be forever thankful to the

volunteers that helped evacuate our loved ones. We support them financially

whenever it is possible. A few hundred dollars can do so much! It can fill up a gas

tank of an evacuation bus, it can save at least 100 people from starvation (the

minimum product package for a week for 1 person costs only $15).

 

Your donation will help my family go through such a tough time.

No donation is too small, but every donation

will make a big difference.

Daryna Barykina