I did it. I FOUND MY FAMILY!

I have been actively & consistently searching for my family in Ukraine since the very first day of the Russian Invasion: February 24,  2022. I needed to find them to make sure they were safe.

I started with zero-to-incorrect information. It felt impossible. I’d search and search and search some more. I would learn new information & feel more lost. Every search always came to a dead end, but I never gave up. I just kept teaching myself Українська мова so that when I did find them, I could speak with them.

My grandmother had 3 last names (same as me) over the course of her lifetime. That alone can make finding someone difficult. I found that because her maiden name was Kruk she came from Western Ukraine. It is a name primarily from Lviv, meaning “Raven,” so I focused all of my efforts there. I found my maiden name comes from Ternopil, which is next to Lviv. I felt like I was finally getting somewhere.

Then, in January 2024, I got a real lead. An envelope from my aunt, in Ukrainian cursive. I had no idea at the time that this letter would be the key to finally finding my family.

I received a new name: Kateryina Fedorivna Kruk. The сестра of my бабуся. From her name, I was able to find that my бабуся’s fathers name was Fedor.

I received an oblast: Ivano-Frankivsk

And I received a village: Zalyp’ia

So I pull up a map of Ukraine, and see that Ivano-Frankivsk is right in between the two oblasts!!! It makes sense! So I move my efforts to Ivano-Frankivsk.

I also notice on the map that the family that we sponsored to bring to America through the U4U Program is from the oblast next to Ivano-Frankivsk. Keep in mind that Ukraine is only slightly smaller than the size of Texas in America. An oblast is what America knows as “States.” It is only a 2 hour drive from Ivano-Frankivsk to Chernivsti. I decided to try to find the needle in a haystack and ask them for help.

They asked their friends who are still living in Ukraine to go to Ivano-Frankivsk and get my grandmothers records for me. They did me one even better by tracking down my living family, contacting them in Ukrainian language to let them know I am searching for them, and passed along my information.

I was given a name, Olesya, and then I waited. Then I received a phone call. I knew right away it was truly my family. I could hear it in her voice. It was a familiar voice, that even though I had never spoken to in my life, I knew it. 

This is my 4th cousin, Oleysa. Her daughter, Anastasia. And her mama. Oleysa came to America 2 years ago when the war began. Her daughter came with her, but has since decided to go back home.

We spoke for 2 hours on the phone, connecting the dots & matching information. I scribbled down all of the new names.

She told me she would send me photos soon. I waited.

I learned that Zalyp’ia has only one street in their village.

I learned that my grandmother, Olga, was 1 of 6 children: 2 boys, and 4 girls. The exact same dynamic as my family. I do not believe in coincidences.

I learned that my entire Kruk family was very hardworking people.

My new found family is from the village 1 km from Zalyp’ia, called Pidhoroddia.

This is the first time seeing my aunts so young!

Funny story: I immediately texted Sandy after receiving this photo and told her this person in purple looked identical to her. She responded with “who sent you that? I look terrible in that photo with Aunt Irene and Shawn!” Getting that confirmation it was her was so cool!

Stepan (deceased) went to the concentration camp in Germany with Olga. He had a number tattooed on his hand. He was married and had 2 children: 1 daughter, Nadia (deceased), and 1 son, Roman (deceased). I think my aunt Irene resembles him. Nadia had 2 sons, Roman also had 2 sons, Oleh & Vitaly.

Myhailo married but had no children. I think my aunt Mary resembled him.

She lived to be 101 years old. She did not marry or have children. She went by Paska. I think that is what I will look like as a бабуся.

*Not pictured is Olga’s sister Kateryina, who went by Kaska, or her oldest sister Anastasia. Anastasia went to Siberian Concentration Camp. She had 1 daughter: Nadia, and 2 sons: Roman & Metro. I believe they stayed in Russia, but Nadia went back to Ukraine. Kateryina did not marry or have kids.

This is Olga’s cousin, who has the same name as her sister. Her mother was Evdokia Kruk. This is the grandmother of Oleysa, who is my 4th cousin. She died in 2006.

Olga had another cousin named Barbara who lived in Upstate New York. She lived to be 102. Olga visited her. Her son, Bob, remembers my grandmother. I look forward to hearing more about her.

I put this photo of Kaden & my dad together with the same accordion, but nearly 60 years apart. I really love when life comes full circle like that.

Well, that’s all I know for now. I am incredibly grateful for these extremely well preserved photos. Some did not make it through the years as well. I’m waiting for copies of the letters that my grandmother wrote home to Ukraine. Her first husband also stayed in contact with her family, even after her passing, so I’m really excited to be able to read these letters and hopefully find the answers to all my questions and fill in the blanks. I am still in complete shock that my very big dream finally happened! I found my family in Ukraine! I look forward to getting to know my family more and hearing all about their lives in Ukraine. I want to learn their favorite foods & see photos of how they dressed. I want to learn folklore passed down in our family & stories of my ancestors and keep it all safe here so future generations won’t lose these important keys to our past.

Thanks for being here for my journey – My Ode to Olga.

Until next time ♡ Mama Morozov