My name is Kyrylo Udaltsov, and I am a Ukrainian refugee living in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I’m not a refugee by ‘official status’, but I am by every definition of the word. Before 2022, I was a typical 14-year-old in Kharkiv—going to school, playing hockey, and spending time with my family. Then, on February 24, my mom woke me at 4 AM—Russia had invaded. We grabbed what we could and fled, leaving behind my home, friends, and everything I knew. Explosions echoed as we drove west, eventually reaching the Polish border. My father, of fighting age, had to stay behind. In May of 2022, my parents secured an appointment at the Ukrainian embassy in Krakow to explore a way for me to leave Ukraine and seek refuge in the U.S. At the same time, they contacted the McCarthy family in Minnesota, who had previously hosted me in their home for five days when I attended a hockey camp at age 12. We hoped they would sponsor me and take me in. In what felt like fate, the McCarthys agreed, and one month later, at just 15 years old, I arrived alone with simply a backpack and my hockey bag. Adjusting was difficult. I barely spoke English and felt homesick, but I pushed myself—learning the language, earning honor roll, playing varsity hockey and soccer, all the while navigating my new life with a new family. Now, I dream of continuing my education in the U.S., determined to make my parents and new family proud.