Ukrainians cross through U.S. southern border to stay with Cary family

A Ukrainian refugee family has finally made it to North Carolina after traveling from eastern Europe to the United States' southern border.

White House officials said Monday that 3,274 Ukrainian refugees have crossed into the United States through Mexico.

Yuri Havrykov, his partner Oksanna Saienko, and her 11-year-old daughter Yanna escaped from Ukraine about three weeks after Russia invaded.

"The only one idea was to get to a safe place, especially for the child," Saienko said.

The family is from Sumy, about an hour's drive away from the Russian border.

They traveled from Poland to Estonia, to France and then Mexico. After crossing into the U.S. from Mexico, the family flew to Raleigh.

Here, the family is staying with complete strangers in Cary — a risk they are willing to take.

Tony Zehia connected with the Ukrainian family after posting an offer on Facebook to host refugees at the home he shares with his wife in Cary.

"When I saw them and they saw me, it was just beautiful. Everyone was smiling, we hugged," Zehia said. "It was like my old family came home."

In the two days that the Ukrainian family has been in Cary, Zehia has helped them set up bank accounts, get U.S. cell phones and enroll Yana in school.

A GoFundMe he set up for the family has already topped its goal of raising $5,000 to help them get settled here.