'He's our son:' Snohomish family fighting to bring 11-year-old boy home from Ukraine

Family advocates for orphans in Ukraine undergoing adoption process

Adoptions have been paused in Ukraine due to the Russian invasion, and one Snohomish family is waiting to bring their son home.

SNOHOMISH, Wash. - Adoptions and hosting children from Ukraine are currently on pause since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of the country.

A family in Snohomish was in the process of adopting an 11-year-old boy named Mykyta, who is currently at an orphanage in Southeastern Ukraine.

"The orphanage had been without power, just running on a generator, so access to charging a phone is slim," said Katie-Jo Page, who is planning to adopt Mykyta. "I had to take the week off of work. Just getting up and showering and taking care of the kids and the farm, it was almost impossible. Just knowing what he was going through."

Communication has been spotty, but Page said she’s been told Mykyta is safe.

"He’s not legally our son, but in our hearts he is... He’s our family. My daughters call him their brother. He’s our son," said Page.

Page’s family hosted Mykyta for a month in December and January through the agency Host Orphans Worldwide. The plan was to host him again for the entire summer beginning in June as the family waited to work through the adoption process.

"It’s very long. It’s a 12 to 18-month process. It’s about $40,000. It requires multiple trips to Ukraine. We have three kids, we both work full-time, we have a farm. We just didn’t think it was possible, and then we met him," said Page. "He got here, and then we instantly knew he was meant to be our son."

Now she’s reaching out to lawyers, lawmakers and anyone who might be able to help them get Mykyta out of Ukraine and into their arms.

"There are kids in Ukraine that have been waiting to be adopted, and we’re hoping to get visas to come here on a temporary basis to be safe," said Page. "I’m not going to stop trying until we get him back home. I do have faith we will get him here. I don’t know when, but ultimately, I do believe he’ll get here."

The family has Mykyta’s room waiting for his return. Page said Mykyta loves Marvel, while pointing out the Marvel Comics bedding. The poster used to welcome him home for his first visit is also hanging on his bedroom wall.