by It’s been nearly a year since the war in Ukraine began.
A war that’s claimed thousands of lives and injured countless others, including a six-year-old girl from Kherson.
A non-profit organisation committed to protecting children stepped in to help the severely wounded child in Ukraine.
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On Friday night, Alisa Kulzhynska and her parents arrived in Miami to receive treatment at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
Alisa’s parents expressed happiness and relief speaking through an interpreter.
Their brave little girl is here safely in Miami, as doctors evaluate her injuries before creating a treatment plan.
“She’s very strong,” said Lana Rogers, the family’s interpreter.
Upon arrival at Miami International Airport, Alisa’s smile inspired all that looked, as she proudly wore a crown.
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Her parents told CBS4 about their brave princess.
“She has a very strong character and spirit,” her parents said.
Alisa sustained her injuries two weeks ago after Russian missiles destroyed her family’s home in Kherson.
Scars cover the left side of her face.
She nearly lost her left eye.
Her leg was injured, and she now has trouble hearing out of one ear.
The day of the strike remains a big shock to her mum and dad.
“It hit directly into her room,” her dad explained.
“It went silent. It was dark, and there was screaming.”
Russian attacks in recent months have ravaged their hometown of Kherson.
After the blast, her father rushed to find his daughter lost in the rubble by knocking on walls and calling her name.
“She could hear, but she was kind of falling asleep,” her father said.
“She was losing consciousness when he was pulling her out.”
While receiving treatment in Ukraine, the non-profit Romulus T. Weatherman Foundation caught wind of the situation.
“A reporter called me because we have pretty active operations in Ukraine,” said Andrew Duncan, the organization’s co-founder.
“We run a humanitarian operation there.”
The foundation’s mission is to protect children, human rights, and democracy.
Duncan says his team soon realized that as Alisa received treatment in Kyiv, the hospital was overwhelmed, and she needed specialised treatment.
Worried about more attacks disrupting her medical care, Duncan assembled a transport team that drove 17 hours from where they were in Ukraine to Warsaw, Poland, in an ambulance.
“Ukrainian people are the best of the best,” said Duncan.
The family flew from Warsaw, arriving in Miami on Friday night.
And Alisa was all smiles holding her little lion, representing her strong spirit and will.
“She really liked to fly,” said Rogers.
“It’s her first experience. She really liked to fly. Unfortunately, she didn’t like being in the ambulance in Ukraine. “
As one foundation member told CBS4, soldiers sign up to fight, but no six-year-old signs up to have their innocence stripped from them.
Doctors will work to treat Alisa’s injuries.
Mum also was hurt.
CBS4 was told she still has shrapnel in her back from the missile strike.
This family’s been through so much, but they are thankful to be saved here in Miami.
