US Figure Skater Reunites with Ukrainian Family at Olympics After Four-Year War Separation
American figure skater Vadym Kolesnik has been reunited with family members from Ukraine after four long years of separation, a poignant moment at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. The emotional reunion was made possible through a GoFundMe campaign that far exceeded its modest expectations, allowing his relatives to travel to Italy and witness his Olympic debut.
Four Years of War and Separation
It had been four years since Kolesnik last saw family members still living in Ukraine, a period marked by relentless conflict. Russian bombs have devastated Kharkiv, reducing homes to rubble, while the war destroyed the appliance and lighting business run by his father, Igor. His brother, also named Igor, enlisted in the Ukrainian army following the Russian invasion in 2022, facing daily dangers from drones and combat.
"It seems like it's been a lifetime," Kolesnik said, reflecting on the prolonged separation and the hardships his family has endured.
GoFundMe Success Brings Family to the Games
In January, shortly after Kolesnik qualified for the Olympics with his ice dance partner, Emilea Zingas, a GoFundMe was launched with a goal of $25,000. The campaign quickly surpassed this target, enabling family members Snezhana Kolesnik and Irina Kobchenko to fly to northern Italy. They arrived on Saturday, just as Russia carried out a major attack involving hundreds of drones and 32 ballistic missiles back in Ukraine.
"I'm just so, so thankful," Kolesnik told The Associated Press after a practice session at the Milano Ice Skating Arena. "They wouldn't have been here without everyone's help." Any remaining funds will be used to cover training and coaching costs after the Games, with Zingas noting, "We never expected that much."
Kolesnik's Journey from Ukraine to the US
Kolesnik came to the United States in 2016 for a tryout with renowned coach Igor Shpilband, but his path was fraught with challenges. After a brief return to Ukraine, he was denied re-entry to the US, highlighting the difficulties faced by immigrants. He eventually secured a long-term visa to train in America, but was largely on his own until his mother, Svitlana, joined him about three years ago. His father remained in Ukraine to care for his grandmother, while his older brother went off to war.
Given his family's experiences, Kolesnik is vocal in his opposition to Russian athletes at the Milan Cortina Games. Several Russian competitors, including figure skaters Adeliia Petrosian and Petr Gumennik, have been vetted and cleared to compete as neutral athletes, but Kolesnik remains firm. "To me, they're a terrorist country," he said. "They're killing Ukrainians every day. Until the war is over, they have no place."
Compartmentalizing War and Skating Life
Kolesnik, who obtained US citizenship last summer, has learned to compartmentalize the ongoing war in Ukraine with his life in America. When not training with Zingas, he works at the Novi Ice Arena in suburban Detroit. He described how the war initially affected his skating, saying, "When the war just started, it was definitely affecting my life drastically, especially my skating life. I was just trying to pour all the feelings, all the emotions I had into skating, and this is not a good way of training."
Through sports psychology, he has developed techniques to block out external stressors. "I have to go out there, tell the story, focus on my job, and whatever happens outside of skating is outside of it," he explained. Zingas added, "You have to remember this war is really close to his heart. Every day he gets sent videos and messages about friends dying or getting injured. It's not an easy thing. For the last four years, every day, he's had some big weight put on him."
Family Support and Olympic Dreams
While Kolesnik was able to bring two family members from Ukraine to the Olympics, his mother made the difficult decision to stay behind in Michigan. Although she has a visa through 2027, concerns about potential re-entry issues to the US led to this choice. "Our lawyer advised us that it was not a good idea," Zingas explained. "She has a visa and all the right paperwork, but they've heard stories about people having all the right paperwork and something happens, and they get denied entry anyway." Kolesnik hopes to secure a green card for his mother so she can stay indefinitely.
Reflecting on his family's support, Kolesnik said, "They're so proud of me, especially my dad. My mom wasn't so supportive of my figure skating dream. My dad was always behind it. He sent me to the US to follow my dreams. My mom wanted me to choose a different path, something more safe, but my dad knew when I was growing up that I would rather go skating than do anything else."
Now, with some of his family watching from the stands, Kolesnik is set to compete on the biggest stage in figure skating, a testament to resilience and the power of community support in the face of adversity.
