CUMMING, Ga. — Since the attack on Ukraine began, most of the world has watched through their TVs and on social media.
But Tomas Dudnyk and Mark Fedoruk are watching through their eyes of their families in their native country.
"That's what I got today from my dad," said Dudnyk, scrolling through pictures of newborn babies in bomb shelters.
Dudnyk and Fedoruk's families have known each other for years. Dudnyk stayed with Fedoruk 's family when he came to America as an exchange student. But now the longtime friends sit beside each other in Fedoruk's family home, receiving long-distance updates from Ukraine.
“I’ll show you this video," Dudnyk said, pressing play on his phone. "Look how packed they all are."
In the video, dozens of children are packed inside a bomb shelter.
"That's their lives now," said Dudnyk.
His own brother and sisters are living that life right now.
“Last night he, my brother, called me and said, 'We’re sleeping in a bombing shelter right now,' with my sisters," said Dudnyk. “Knowing that your sisters, 9 years old and 11 years old, are under attack, being bombed. It’s tough, it’s very tough.”
Dudnyk, Fedoruk, and their families in the states don't sleep well. They feel guilty going to work, being comfortable, and trying to get through the day, all while knowing what's happening in Ukraine.
“I don’t know how to even process potentially not seeing hundreds of friends and family again. It’s been difficult. It’s a tragedy," said Fedoruk .
The two constantly check their messages, reading the pleas from people they love. It's been relatively easy for Dudnyk to get in touch with his brother, otherwise, he's not sure how he would handle each passing day.
“When someone is not responding, that’s all you can think is they're dead," he said.
This isn’t the first time they’ve dealt with war in their native country. Fedoruk was just a teenager when Ukraine was under attack in 2014.
“It didn’t seem as real. But last week, It’s like my life is completely different. My whole world has been flipped upside down,” he continue
Not wanting to sit by and do nothing, their families and church started raising money to help people evacuate and get supplies.
"We send the money right away, gas, food, blankets," said Dudnyk. "It's a humanitarian crisis and everything we get, we send there. My father's bank account, just everything I can send, we send."
Through Dudnyk's mobile coffee business, they raised $600 in two hours.
"Americans, they just, they have this heart of helping people and we really do appreciate that," he said.
They're still trying to do more, starting a fundraiser through their family non-profit Together Ministry.
"We're trying to buy blankets, generators, that's a huge one for the bomb shelters, gas. People don't have money to fill up their cars to get out of the country or to the safe sides. Food. Everything is running out," said Fedoruk .
So long as Ukrainians huddle to escape bombs, Dudnyk, Fedoruk, and their families will huddle to find any way to help.
“It’s real," said Fedoruk. "It’s real, people being affected by it and it hurts. I don’t have the words to say, but it hurts.”
In addition to the fundraiser, the family encourages anyone who wishes to lend support, to attend an upcoming rally at Olympic Centennial Park on March 5 at 12 p.m.