Holy Cross School welcomes Ukrainian student escaping Russian conflict

TOPSHOT – The Ukrainian flag flutters between buildings destroyed in bombardment, in the Ukrainian town of Borodianka, in the Kyiv region on April 17, 2022. – Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022. (Photo by Sergei SUPINSKY / AFP) (Photo by SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP via Getty Images)

by: Kylee Bond

Posted: Aug 19, 2022 / 08:17 PM AST

Updated: Aug 20, 2022 / 12:23 PM AST

This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO)— A 17-year-old Ukrainian refugee has arrived in New Orleans in an effort to escape the Russian conflict in his home country.

On Friday, Holy Cross School welcomed the Kyiv teenager alongside his host family at Louis Armstrong International Airport. Officials say the student will be staying with the family of Austin Diodene, a senior at Holy Cross and Student Body President.

“The Holy Cross community is honored to welcome this gentleman to join the HC Class of 2023. Having experienced personal loss and displacement due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he escaped the fighting in his hometown of Kyiv and left for eastern Europe,” Headmaster William J. Gallagher explained. “This bright, talented, and energetic young man will be an outstanding part of our Holy Cross family. We wish him all the best and pray for his home country in these difficult times.”

The student will enter his senior year on Monday, August 22. Anyone looking to help financially support the student while he is in the United States is asked to contact ktedesco@holycrosstigers.com.

Stay updated with the latest news, weather, and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play store and subscribing to the WGNO newsletter.