CARY, N.C. (WNCN) – A Cary woman just returned from Ukraine after traveling there to rescue her parents and bring them to safety. Her parents, who are both 82, got out just as Russia intensified its attacks on the area where they live.

Even if you don’t speak the language, you can feel the joy as Diana Medlin and her parents embrace. They met inside the Ukrainian border, after long journeys from opposite directions.

Medlin’s parents live in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, where her parents told her the bombs fell more and more frequently.

“When it was really dangerous, I thought ‘I need to do something’,” Medlin said.

Getting her parents out of Ukraine wasn’t easy.

They are both 82 and have trouble getting around.

“At their age, it’s hard to move and travel for so long,” Medlin said.

Medlin knew the only way to get her parents to safety was to go into Ukraine herself.

“I’m not afraid, I can do it,” she recalled thinking.

With the help of donated airline miles, she flew to Poland, then crossed the border into Ukraine. Meanwhile, her parents left their home in eastern Ukraine and traveled cross-country riding in a van.

While the family stayed in Lviv, Medlin said missiles flew toward the city, but she never questioned her decision to help her parents.

“I said, ‘We are kids; we are supposed to do it to help you because you’ve done so much for us raising us,” she said.  

With the help of donations and the kindness of strangers, the family took buses and planes, and finally flew into RDU. Now Diana is grateful to have her parents beside her.

“I’m just thankful to everybody who donated, supported and prayed; it’s amazing,” she said.

Medlin was able to travel to Ukraine and her parents were able to come here thanks to donated airline miles.

An Apex man has matched hundreds of Ukrainians with people who have miles to donate and helped them get to safety. If you’d like to find out how you can help, click here.