A couple from the United States has shared their story of escaping Ukraine after welcoming their baby daughter in the country last week.
As reported by CNN, Jessie and Jacob Boeckmann revealed how they woke to the sound of explosions on Thursday, February 24 - just two days after becoming parents to their newborn daughter.
The Boeckmanns had traveled to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv last month to be present at the birth of their daughter, who was welcomed into the world by a Ukrainian surrogate.
More on this incredible story below:Taking to Instagram, Jessie explained: "Our beautiful daughter was born February 22, 2022 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Jacob and I had been in Kyiv a few days because of the uncertain geopolitical situation. Prior to her birth, the airport in Kyiv had closed. We knew getting out of the country would be challenging, but I had no idea what was in store.
"On Feb 24 at 600 am, I awoke to explosions. We immediately contacted our driver to pick us up to start our journey to the temporary US embassy in L’viv, Ukraine. We left the hospital despite the protests of the nursing staff."
The couple opted to attempt to drive to the western city of Lviv in order to reach a temporary US Embassy, but what would have normally been a 6-hour drive for the couple quickly turned into a 27-hour mission.
"It took us four hours alone to get out of Kyiv because of the massive exodus of people," Jessie writes.
To make matters worse, as they were en route, they were informed that the embassy had been closed.
Along with their infant daughter, the couple chose to make their way to the Polish border.
Jessie also revealed that their driver - Val - had opted to support and stay with the couple in their time of need, despite receiving angry calls from his own family.
Then, roughly eight miles from the border, traffic came to a standstill. Despite the freezing weather and having a baby to support, the couple decided to leave their vehicle and walk.
Speaking to CNN on Wednesday, Jacob recalled: "We decided that it was going to be the warmest part of the day, and the only opportunity to make it to the border before nightfall would be to get out and walk."
"Our biggest concern, with our daughter being four days old, was hypothermia. It was really cold. But we felt like if we didn't act then, then we wouldn't know how much longer it would be until we would make it across," he added.
But they wrapped baby Vivian up tight and set off on their journey.
They recalled seeing "thousands and thousands of people, all kind of packed on top of one another trying to exit the country."
"The walk was like walking through a parking lot or the worst travel jam seven and a half miles long. No cars were moving for the entire three hours journey. We constantly stopped to make sure the baby was breathing and was warm. The smell of car exhaust was overwhelming. No cars moved the entire trip," Jessie wrote on Instagram.
CNN reports that due to women and children being prioritized, Jessie and baby Vivian were able to cross the border into Poland first, with Jacob following several hours later.
The family is now reportedly home safe in California, with Jessie adding on Instagram: "This was a horrible situation, and I am so thankful we made it out as soon as we did."
If you would like to know how you can support the Ukrainian people at this time, click HERE to find a list of organizations and groups dedicated to helping those affected by this crisis.
