LOWER ALLEN TOWNSHIP, Pa. (WHTM) -- Fears over a Russian invasion of Ukraine continue to rise, and for a Cumberland County restaurant owner, those fears are personal.
Tatian Elseaidy spends nearly every day running Tatiana's restaurant with her husband in Lower Allen Township. Lately, however, her thoughts focus on Ukraine, the country where she spent the first 20 years of her life.
Get daily news, weather, breaking news and alerts straight to your inbox! Sign up for the abc27 newsletters here!
Elseaidy grew up while Ukraine was still part of the Soviet Union, and she said she did not feel the political struggle.
"We lived all my youth in peace," she said. "I was lucky to live in a place where we had no political problem."
Elseaidy left just two years after the country gained independence, eventually making her way to the Midstate with most of her family, where she watched Ukraine's political upheaval from afar.
"I heard through the news, through different social media, what struggling they face[d]," she aid.
Elseaidy made a life here, running Tatiana's restaurant for the last 15 years with her husband.
"We're going to name it Tatiana's because Tatiana's always bring[s] him luck," she said of their decision to name the restaurant.
Elseaidy has just one family member, an aunt, still in Ukraine.
"She's safe, she hasn't heard about evacuation," she said.
Elseaidy's family is safe for now, and she hopes it stays that way, even as Russia masses troops on the border. However, the growing conflict still weighs on her.
"I just want not only my aunt, like everybody in Ukraine will be safe because during many, many years, they struggle and they deserve a better life," she said.
Elseaidy said she is grateful for the support her customers have shown during the crisis.
"They always ask me, how you think about the situation, if you have relatives, are they okay," she said.
Most importantly, she hopes her native country faces no more violence.
"I just pray every day this conflict will resolve peacefully," she said.
The latest news from Ukraine: The Russian military said some of its troops near the border are moving back to bases, but U.S. officials warn a Russian attack could still be imminent.
0 Commentaires