Here in the U.S. many families are trying to help loved ones escape the war in Ukraine. That includes two sisters in Wrightwood who have been trying desperately to get them to safety here in Southern California.
"It's frightening to think how they're living day to day moment to moment," Cheryl Randal, a Wrightwood resident, said.
Randal and her sister Jennifer Gregory are worried about their cousin Ira and her 17-year-old daughter Yana.
For the past week both of them have been escaping the war in their home country of Ukraine.
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"My mother went through this same thing during WW2 exact same thing," Randal said. "I mean they are running for their lives."
Randal and Gregory have been closely monitoring their progress but they have only been able communicate by email.
"It's so stressful scary you know you wait you're sitting on the edge of your seat waiting for them to email to somehow get a hold of you," Randal said.
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Gregory says that thinking of them makes her feel helpless.
"Every single moment you think of the peril the danger that they're in and you feel helpless because we are in America safe," Gregory said.
Fortunately after four days of walking Ira and Yana were able to get on a train and make it across the border safely into Poland.
"Now we have to figure out how to get them to us in America?" Randal said.
The sisters have been trying desperately to find ways to get Ira and Yana into the US where they can live at Gregory's home in Wrightwood.
"Basically trying to get help for them," Gregory said.
Gregory showed us the list of lawmakers and humanitarian groups they have been contacting.
"I've sent out emails to various agencies UNICEF the congressmen we are just flooding everybody we can for help," Gregory said.
But so far its been difficult to make any head way because Gregory says there are visa and passport complications.
"You want to be able to fly there and get them and bring them home but you can't," Gregory said.
The sisters are hoping lawmakers see this story and find easier ways to bring loved ones into the U.S. who are escaping the war, not only for Ira and Yana, but for everyone.
"The ones that have nobody those poor people I don't know they're going to be in limbo," Randal said.
Gregory says people need to be more empathetic.
"They need help and they're innocent people they should not be put into this," Gregory said.
