OGDEN, Utah — Tattooing is Jack Knowlden’s ardour.
Knowlden is the proprietor of “Pores and skin It” Tattoo, which has two retailers in Ogden.
A second ardour of Knowlden’s helps others. He not too long ago took a powerful curiosity in serving to these impacted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
In March, FOX 13 Information spoke to Knowlden when he was in Medyka, Poland, giving aid to Ukrainian refugees.
“Even when I attempt to method them, at first they’re scared, however to see them smile while you give them that scorching cocoa or that piece of chocolate, like, that simply sticks with you,” Knowlden mentioned in March.
He made a return journey to Poland the next month.
It was in April that Knowlden determined to get a tattoo to recollect his expertise.
“So, I simply went on Instagram, I regarded up Ukrainian tattoo artists, begin scrolling by way of a couple of,” he mentioned.
That is how he discovered Zinaida Horetska, a Ukrainian refugee who fled her hometown of Dnipro.
“She actually simply went to Warsaw, simply to tattoo to earn cash to ship again to her pals that have been caught there combating,” mentioned Knowlden.
Knowlden gave her his card afterward.
After not seeing each other for a couple of weeks, Knowlden met Horetska and her buddy for espresso and gave her some cash, which she ended up utilizing to purchase provides to ship dwelling to Dnipro.
Knowlden then returned dwelling to Ogden.
After a few weeks, he mentioned Horetska reached out, asking if he would sponsor her and assist deliver her to america. He mentioned this got here after she had been making an attempt to come back to America together with her buddy, however her visa fell by way of.
Knowlden jumped on the likelihood, utilizing the Uniting for Ukraine program to assist fill out all the mandatory paperwork.
“You change into a beneficiary, so what the U.S. Authorities needs you to show is that you may present for anyone that is coming over right here,” mentioned Knowlden.
A tattoo conference that Knowlden helped placed on final month in Ogden raised $20,000. These funds will go towards facilitating Horetska’s transfer to Utah.
Horetska says she is happy for a recent begin.
“It is miracle,” she mentioned. “Like future. I do not know the way it occurred.”
The transfer to america may also enable Horetska to proceed her love for tattooing at certainly one of Knowlden’s retailers.
“It is my ardour and I am tremendous excited,” she mentioned. “Right here in Poland, it is actually arduous to seek out shoppers. I like my work very a lot and doing my greatest.”
It’s one thing Knowlden was completely happy to make occur.
“We’re serving to make her desires come true and she or he’s going to be tattooing in America,” he mentioned.
Knowlden informed FOX 13 Information that he purchased Horetska’s airplane ticket, and she is going to arrive in Utah on July 21.
He says he’s additionally sponsoring a Ukrainian mom and her son, and all of the paperwork for them was authorised a few week and a half in the past.
Knowlden says the mom and son will finally be part of one other relative in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania sooner or later.
