KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The war in Ukraine is waging around 5,000 miles away from Knoxville. Its impact is still felt in East Tennessee as the hearts of those with family in Ukraine reel from images of bombings and deaths.
One nurse at the University of Tennessee Medical Center said this has been one of the hardest weeks of her life. Anna Allen said her father lives in Ukraine, alongside many of her closest friends.
"The invasion started and I was awake, reading the news. It was horrifying. That night I was not able to sleep," Allen said. "I was constantly on the phone with my dad and my family. This was horrific. This was unbelievable. It was like a scary dream came true."
She said she has lived in Knoxville for around 20 years. She is a mother, and she said her youngest child is 1 year old. Now, she said she is thinking about the families of Ukraine and mothers in Kherson, a city occupied by Russian forces.
"There are dead bodies all over the town. There are shootings going on every day," she said. "I pray all day long to give strength to those poor mothers and to those babies whose going to be traumatized for the rest of their lives."
She said she is afraid that within a week the people of Kherson may not have enough food to eat. She said because of the Russian invasion, supplies have dwindled. Many people in Kherson are searching for medical supplies to treat people who were injured, she said.
Allen is one of many Ukrainian people in Knoxville, and across the U.S. She said many people leave the country but stay connected to friends and family thousands of miles away. She went to medical school in Kherson before going to Knoxville and becoming a nurse.
"Although I've been here for 20 years, my heart and my soul are still there," she said. "And I miss the city I grew up in, and I know I am never going to be able to go back and it will never be the same ... and I'm here and there's nothing I can do but spread awareness, send money and pray, pray, pray with everything I got."
She encouraged people to donate to legitimate organizations helping in Ukraine and to stay informed about the invasion of Russian forces. She also called for world leaders to act.
"The message of the people of Ukraine — they're getting bombed. Please close the sky over the Ukraine" she said. "Our military can handle the rest. Please close the sky, this is what people need right now."