ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – An Albuquerque woman is making her second trip to Ukraine. In March, Diana Horak and her daughter went to get her mom out of the war torn country. Now she’s returning with hundreds of pounds of donations from New Mexicans who saw her story and wanted to help.
After KRQE News 13’s story aired, Horak says an Albuquerque woman tracked her down and asked if she’d be going back. Horak says she didn’t have any intention of returning to Ukraine. “I was thinking, we just got back, and mom is barely getting better, and we’d need money to do something like that,” Horak said.
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The woman then offered to fund the trip in its entirety. Horak created an Amazon Wishlist and donations have been pouring in ever since. “Other people pitched in,” Horak said.
Tuesday morning, Horak, her 14 year-old daughter, and two friends boarded a plane at the Sunport, after checking more than a dozen suitcases filled with hundreds of pounds of donations. Items like military gear, and supplies for a Western Ukranian NICU.
“They’re overwhelmed with the refugee mommas,” said Horak. “They’re at four plus times their capacity for what they can handle.”
The group even collected helmets for dogs helping in the efforts against Russia. Once they get to their destination, they’ll be met by drivers who will help them get the supplies to where they’re needed.
Horak says she’s grateful to everyone who made their ‘Boots, Bras and Babies Mission” possible. “The fact that we’re able to take the love that is from the people here, and extend it to my home country, the people I’ve known for years and to strangers as well, it’s beyond precious,” Horak said.
She expects to return from their mission by early June.