After rising up in Del Mar and spending a while in San Francisco, John Uke moved to Ukraine to construct a tech firm.
“If I can go to Ukraine and rent and work with individuals like this for a fraction of the worth of America, that looks as if a very good enterprise mannequin and an attention-grabbing journey,” mentioned Uke, who attended Del Mar Heights, Earl Warren and graduated from Torrey Pines Excessive Faculty.
There he met Dana in an artwork gallery.
“It was sort of like a spark from the primary second,” mentioned Dana, who was born in Ukraine and had been residing in Kyiv pursuing research in enterprise. She requested that her final identify be withheld due to her involvement with the navy in Ukraine.
“I keep in mind after our first date, I used to be going to name my mother to inform her I believe I met the individual I’m going to marry,” John mentioned.
After Russia invaded about six months in the past, they needed to flee the nation. Over the subsequent month they slept in “in all probability 20 completely different beds over one month,” earlier than lastly settling in Del Mar.
There have been greater than 10,000 civilian deaths or accidents throughout Ukraine as of July 3, based on the United Nations Excessive Commissioner for Human Rights. Almost 4,900 individuals had been documented as killed, together with 335 youngsters.
“The primary two months had been very loopy, we had been transferring all all over the world,” Dana mentioned.
She continued, “I used to be very cautious with individuals right here as a result of I didn’t know what to anticipate, however everybody’s tremendous pleasant and open and supply assist.”
John added that he appreciated “the steadiness” of returning to his house metropolis.
Dana mentioned she served within the Ukrainian navy able much like a paramedic, and that lots of her pals are nonetheless serving. She has a brief standing within the U.S. and continues to watch how occasions are unfolding in Ukraine.
“We don’t know if we’re going to settle in right here or for the way lengthy, when the warfare will end,” Dana mentioned. “So I can not truly make any long-term plan as a result of the whole lot’s unsure.”
John and Dana have been engaged on a product John got here up with referred to as Success Playing cards, that are tarot-style decks of playing cards that present ideas and recommendation on rising a enterprise.
And on the persevering with navy battle in Ukraine, John mentioned, “I believe it’s actually essential that individuals proceed to assist or donate or do no matter they will to assist.”