Grandmother rescued from Ukraine dies in Meath aged 101

Louise Walsh

A beloved nana who was rescued by her Irish-based granddaughter when war broke out in Ukraine, has died at the age of 101, leaving a message of well wishes for her adopted country.

Galina Vituck passed away peacefully on Tuesday morning, surrounded by her family in her grandaughter's home in Trim where she has lived since May 2022.

In her final days, she spoke in her native tongue to thank the Irish people for their kindness and hospitality, wishing 'may they be able to walk on their own legs for as long as they can."

Her granddaughter Luba Healy drove across Europe in a mercy dash to rescue her mum Nina (72) and Galina when the invasion by Russia started.

In the first few weeks of the war, Nina had been pushing Galina in a wheelbarrow to the shelter and carrying her on her back down the stairs during the air raids.

The brave nan already lived through two famines and the horrors of World War II when she used to carry ammunition through the night to help Russian and Ukrainian soldiers in that conflict.

Galina, who had never set foot outside Ukraine before coming to Ireland, only made the trip after making Luba promise to bring her back home when the war finished.

Luba knew in her heart that Galina would only be going home in spirit and is now keeping her promise by bringing her nana's remains back to her hometown of Haivron to be buried beside Luba's grandfather.

Mum of three Luba who has lived in Ireland over 20 years said she will bring her nan home so her old neighbours can say goodbye.

"Nana fought hard all her life through war and never gave up. Despite receiving palliative care for a number of months, she held on while my husband Eugene, my son Francis and I and a group of volunteers made our last humanitarian trip to Ukraine.

"She promised she would wait until she got back and she did.

"She was always asking me to bring her home but I think in her heart, she knew that would never happen. She was too weak.

"I'm very thankful for the precious time we had with her here in Ireland and the time she spent with her great-grandchildren. My mam, my brother Misha and I, Eugene and my children Francis (14), Hannah Rose(8), Harrison (3) are just heartbroken to have lost her.

"All she ever did was keep going and walking. She would always say that she would be resting long enough when she was dead. In the last few years, she wasn't able to walk and wished she could manage a few steps more. She always told me to keep walking while I could.

"In recent weeks, we would chat and she said that my people now (the Irish) were the kindest she had ever met and she was grateful for what they had done for me and for her.

"She says that she wished they would be able to walk on their own legs for as long as they can, which is similar to the Irish saying of May the road rise up to meet you."

"I'm organising her funeral to take place in Trim on Friday and I hope to then bring her remains back to Ukraine where her old friends can say goodbye before we lay her finally to rest with her beloved husband."

In her final days, she spoke in her native tongue to thank the Irish people for their kindness and hospitality and to wish that 'may they be able to walk on their own legs for as long as they can."

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