CHARLOTTE — People around the world know Iryna Zarutska for how she died. But those who loved her want to remember her for how she lived.
In an exclusive interview with Channel 9, you’ll hear from Iryna’s family for the first time on Monday. Channel 9’s Hannah Goetz spoke with Iryna’s mother, sister, and uncle a year after her death.
“My daughter Iryna was absolutely sure that nothing like that would have happened, that nothing like that would have taken place in her life and take her life,” Iryna’s mother, Anya, told Goetz.
We spoke for hours about Iryna’s life, the family’s escape from a war zone, and the last conversations they had with her.
“She helped me to, you know, to look around,” her sister, Valeria, told Channel 9. “Like, ‘See, you have something beautiful around you.’”
“She wanted people to feel joy,” Anya said.
This is Iryna’s story, told from her family’s perspective for the very first time.
Our special reports air Monday, and our series aims to respect the trust that Iryna’s family put in us to tell their side. Tune in for the exclusive interview only on Channel 9 at 5 p.m. Monday.
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