Trim woman's Ukraine rescue mission success

“I have my precious cargo on board,” were the emotional words of Luba Healy this morning as she made her way home from a precarious trip to Ukraine to rescue her mother and grandmother.

The exhausted group was travelling through Poland on the way home to Trim and safety, from war-torn Ukraine.

“As they left my home town of Haivoron in central Ukraine, the sirens started going off. They thought about looking for shelter, decided to ignore them, take a chance and keep on travelling. It took them about 10 hours to get to the petrol station near the border where they waited for us,” Luba explains.

Luba's emotional reunion with her 70-year-old mother Nina and 98-year-old grandmother, Galina Vituk came on Monday afternoon just inside the Ukrainian border.

The delighted family are now travelling together to Luba's home in Trim.

As well as her precious family members, they are also taking five other adults and a four-year-old girl to safety.

Luba, her husband Eugene Healy, their son Francis and family friend Diarmuid Dawson set out for Ukraine on Friday in a camper van and a jeep laden with supplies for Ukraine.

“The Ukrainian driver brought Mam and Nana to just inside the Ukrainian border and they had to wait there 36 hours for us to arrive.

"It was chaos at the Ukrainian border. There were sirens going off everywhere and we were delayed by over two hours with paperwork."

“They were all very frightened and even when we were safely in Poland they were scared.

“My Nana is very weak and tired. She is lying on a bed in the camper van and every bone in her body hurts.

“Diarmuid brought a lot of medical supplies and vitamins and we are keeping her hydrated.”

The group is travelling overland as Galina's frail body wouldn't be able for a flight and they expect to be back in Ireland in another two days.

Getting them out of Ukraine to safety is a huge relief.

“Until now they were determined to stay in Ukraine.

“It was only the threat of Russian soldiers abusing my grandmother than convinced my mother to make the journey," says Luba.

Luba, a Trim businesswoman whose husband, Eugene is MD of Trimfold had been in constant contact with her mother and grandmother from the start of the war, but was deeply concerned for their safety.

“My mum has been very strong and determined until now – she was ready to wheel my grandmother to safety in a wheelbarrow.

“She said she had a mallet at the door and was ready for the Russians.

“She said they had lived almost 170 years between them and have no regrets except she would have liked to have spent more time with her grandchildren. They were prepared to be killed.

“I asked her what would she do if they abused my grandmother and that is when she cracked and agreed to come.

“I told her to pack up and bring her paperwork.

“I had noticed she seemed more uncertain, sad and fearful after our Ukrainian Orthodox Easter.

“It is the custom to visit the graves of loved ones at Easter but the graveyard was locked – because the Russians had threatened to bomb it.”

Luba, Eugene, their son Francis and a friend who is acting as a relief driver set off for the Polish border on Friday in a camper van and a jeep with a trailer.

They brought much needed supplies for Ukraine which is being delivered to Luba's home town of Haivoron in central Ukraine.

They made the dangerous trek across the Polish border and into Ukraine because the Ukrainian driver coming to meet them was not allowed to leave the country as he is of an age eligible to fight in the war

“My grandmothers body wouldn't be able to cope with a flight, so we are travelling overland. Unfortunately we cannot travel through England – they won't allow my mum and grandmother into the country, so it is a more complicated route.”

“The doctor has prescribed medicines to give my grandmother more energy and to keep her calm and I am bringing drips so I will be able to keep her hydrated.”

Luba and her family faced a heartbreaking dilemma in that they agreed to help others get out of the war torn country.

“We only had so much room in our transport and so many people were asking to come. It was so hard as we cannot take everyone.”

On their way over, Luba and Eugene brought lots of supplies and Luba ensured they were destined for her hometown.

“The minibus bringing my mother and grandmother to the border will bring the supplies back to my hometown."

Luba has been to the forefront in collecting and sending supplies to Ukraine but says that a lot of supplies don't make it to her hometown.

“I have been promised that this load will get there,” she says. I have been overwhelmed at the generosity of the people who have donated supplies,” she said.