A 24-hour vigil was held Friday at Holy Family Ukrainian Catholic Church in Lindenhurst to honor those affected by Russia's invasion of Ukraine that started a year ago.

Iryne Popvych called Long Island home, but was born in Ukraine. She still has family and friends there.

"We are a part of this community," Popvych says. "We are a part of America. We live here. We are citizens and our hearts are broken for our families that live in Ukraine."

Others like Julia Stelmashchuk are grateful that she and her daughters are living with extended family in Lynbrook. They are from Ukraine and Stelmashchuk says the journey to get out was a nightmare.

She says they were in a bomb shelter for a week and had trouble getting a train out of Kyiv before eventually escaping by car.

Stelmashchuk hopes the war ends soon so she can go back home safely to Ukraine to reunite with her husband and other family.