America is grieving alongside the family and friends of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska, a Ukrainian refugee who came to North Carolina seeking peace and a better life, only to have her journey cut short in the most heartbreaking way.
On August 22, Iryna boarded a train in Charlotte, expecting to return home to her loved ones. She even texted her boyfriend, promising she “would be home soon.” But she never arrived. An unprovoked attack ended her life, leaving a young man devastated, a family shattered, and a community demanding answers.
Now, her boyfriend, Stanislav “Stas” Nikulytsia, is speaking publicly, channeling his grief into fury directed at the judge who allowed the accused attacker back onto the streets months before the tragedy occurred.
A Life of Promise, Cut Short
Iryna’s story was one of courage and hope. According to her obituary, she fled Ukraine in 2022 with her mother, brother, and sister, escaping the violence of war. The family settled in Charlotte, where she balanced two major commitments: working full-time at a local pizzeria and attending community college to improve her English.
Her family and friends remember her as kindhearted, hardworking, and deeply devoted to those she loved. She was building a future filled with promise, surrounded by family and the young man she adored.
“She came here to find peace and safety,” her loved ones wrote in a statement. “Instead, her life was stolen in the most horrific way. No family should ever have to go through this.”
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A Life Remembered
For all the policy debates and political reactions, the heart of this story remains Iryna herself. She was a daughter, sister, and partner who dreamed of a future filled with peace, love, and opportunity. She fled war only to encounter violence in the very place she believed would offer refuge.
Her family’s attorney summed it up best: “That night, she texted her boyfriend that she would be home soon. Tragically, her journey ended in violence near the Camden light rail station.”
