Queensland woman Zoya Olepir could not bear another sleepless night wondering if her brother was "still alive" in Ukraine.
She travelled into a war zone from Goodna, south-west of Brisbane, to rescue Viktor, who lives with Down Syndrome.
Ms Olepir's brother and stepdaughter, Anna Troshyna, had been seeking refuge underground in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city.
"During phone conversations, we decided that they have to run from Kharkiv."
Since the start of the Russian invasion in late February, Kharkiv has been a key battleground, experiencing relentless bombardment and missile attacks by Russian forces.
Ms Troshyna fled, but Mr Olepir was hiding in a different part of town all "alone by himself".
"I started to cry, 'What about my brother?'" Ms Olepir said.
"Some other relatives, they helped to take my brother from underground and [took] him to my husband's sister's house."
Stepdaughter 'so brave'
But Ms Olepir felt it was still not safe there for him with the imminent threat of bombing.
"Today they are not bombing, but tomorrow they will," she said.
Ms Troshyna went back to Kharkiv and rescued Mr Olepir, and the pair headed to the Polish border together.
"My husband's daughter — she's so brave," Ms Olepir said.
"She told me while they were driving [in the] car, the fields around the road were [being] bombed — just like bombs everywhere."
Once Ms Olepir realised the pair were on their way, she knew she had to travel to Ukraine.
Less than four hours after asking her friend to book her tickets, Ms Olepir was on a plane, only taking her passport and some money for the trip.
Ms Olepir travelled by bus into Ukraine and said the moment she saw her brother she cried tears of happiness.
"I got my brother, I found my brother," she said.
"We didn't stay overnight there because it was scary."
Together, the three travelled back across the border to Poland by bus and then flew on to Australia.
Seeking refuge in Australia
More than 2,400 Ukrainians have arrived in Australia since the start of the invasion.
Queensland has welcomed the country's third-largest intake of Ukrainians, with almost 500 arriving in the state.
"The Department of Home Affairs is progressing visa applications from Ukrainian nationals as a priority, particularly for those with a connection to Australia," a spokesperson said.
When the news of the Russian invasion first reached the Ukrainian community in Queensland, there was shock and horror.
The community has since banned together, offering vital support to incoming refugees and displaced Ukrainians.
Ukrainian Community of Queensland president Peter Bongiorni said it had been a stressful and disorientating time for the refugees arriving in Queensland.
"Some of them are coming out with literally the clothes on their back and nothing else," he said.
"A lot of them have had to arrive without documentation, around vaccination and identity."
Mr Bongiorni said the first wave of refugees were people with friends and family in Australia.
He said there were many "settlement transitionary" challenges, particularly around employment, language barriers and long-term accommodation, for incoming Ukrainian refugees without Australian connections.
Mr Bongiorni said most Ukrainians seeking shelter in Australia were planning to return when it was safe to rebuild their country.
"Whilst they're incredibly grateful for the support that they're getting here in Australia, it's not home," he said.
'He's safe'
For Viktor Olepir, he plans to start a new chapter in Australia with his sister.
"I don't think it's possible to separate us now," Zoya Olepir said.
Whilst he is settling in, his sister said the war back home still haunted him.
"When some [planes] are flying, he starts like worrying like, 'oh, what's there?'" she said.
"He is also frightful of the walls of the house shaking, and regularly asks if his home in Kharkov still exists.
