A Ukrainian girl who survived a Russian missile attack arrived in South Florida Friday to receive treatment at a local children’s hospital. NBC 6’s Jessica Vallejo reports
Wearing her crown while holding a stuffed animal, 6-year-old Alisa Kulzhynska was all smiles arriving Friday at Miami International Airport.
“I loved flying. Just not riding on ambulances," the girl told reporters through a translator.
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Only two weeks ago, Alisa lost her eye and suffered damages to her neck, ear and skull after a Russian missile rained down on her bedroom in the city of Kherson, a city that has come under heavy bombardment.
“There is a lot going on there, especially a lot of kids getting hurt," said Svitlafa Rogers, a senior adviser with the Romulus T. Weatherman Foundation.
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Through Rogers' translations, the young girl's parents said within a second, everything went dark.
“It went silent and then it went dark. People started to scream," Rogers said.
The father said he had stepped out of their home to find water for his wife and Alisa.
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All of a sudden, he heard an explosion. He said he ran as fast as he could.
“The father says he knocked on every door. When he found their apartment, he ran to save her, to pull her out from debris," Rogers said. “She was only reacting to some noises. She was losing her consciousness when he pulled her out.”
Alisa needed immediate medical attention.
“We got them out, and it was a hard ride out in an ambulance," said Andrew Donkin, the co-founder of the Romulus T. Weatherman Foundation, which is dedicated to protecting children around the world.
While they managed to get Alisa to a nearby hospital, doctors in Ukraine said she would need multiple surgeries they didn’t have the resources for.
The foundation – along with others — has funded Alisa's treatment at the Holtz Children’s Hospital at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
And they have no doubt this fighter will keep pushing through.
"She’s unbelievable," Donkin said.
“Her parents say if she were in a castle, you would have to save the dragon, not her. She’s a strong little girl," Rogers said.
Alisa's mother also arrived with shrapnel in her back. They are both now being examined.
