GREENSBORO, N.C. — It's a bittersweet welcome home for a Ukrainian teen after her months-long journey to escape the war.
Sofiia Bashniak landed at Piedmont Triad International Airport to the sound of the Page High School drumline and cheers from former classmates Friday night after a long journey out of Ukraine.
Billy White welcomed home his stepdaughter Sofiia after helping her flee the country when Russia's invasion began.
Bashniak started on the journey with her grandmother months ago after the war started, but it hasn't been an easy journey.
"From Ternopil to the Polish border was a 36-hour bus ride that should’ve been about 5 hours and they had to wait a day at the Polish border," White said. "Then they got into Warsaw at 1 o'clock in the morning, wake the night manager up. Finally got them into a hotel."
Bashniak has a green card after spending time in Greensboro, at one point attending Page High School and the Newcomers School. Her grandmother had never left Ukraine before the war, according to White.
They set an appointment for April 19 at the Embassy in Poland to file paperwork to help get her grandmother the proper documentation to come to the United States.
"Sofiia and grandma went to the embassy and for some reason, some form was not filled out correctly and they were turned away and told to come back November 8th," White said.
The two women and White were beyond disappointed.
"After seven weeks in a hotel room and washing their clothes in the sink and grandma is older. She's just fed up and decided she wanted to go back to Ukraine so Bashniak took her and put her on a bus back to her husband we hope," White said. " It’s even harder when there’s no home to go back to."
White said Bashniak's grandfather had to stay behind to fight for his country. White said he doesn't know if Sofiia has been able to speak with either of them.
"It broke my heart. If something happens to her I'm still going to feel responsible," he said.
Bashniak is expected to arrive in Greensboro Friday night. Billy said he's looking forward to having her home.
"It will feel very good to put my arms around her," he said.
White said Bashniak wants to go back to school. He said he'll give her time to decompress before talking about how to help grandma return to safety.
He said he hopes the support to help Ukraine continues and the war ends soon.
"Let's just support our government to help with a plan to help Ukraine and put an end to all of this," he said.