Carlow student Racheal Diyaolu has arrived safely back in Ireland after fleeing Ukraine.
The 19-year-old was met by her family in a tearful reunion at Dublin Airport late last night, after she landed on a flight from Frankfurt.
In the arrivals hall, Racheal said she was "really overwhelmed but really happy".
'Overwhelmed but really happy': Carlow student Racheal Diyaolu arrives safely back in Ireland after fleeing Ukraine | https://t.co/yXguFXzPRb pic.twitter.com/dlWbWZSVSn
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) March 11, 2022
"I've been away for so long, in the circumstances, it's been very scary. I didn't know when I'd get to be home, so I'm really happy to be back", she said.
Racheal had been studying medicine in university in the eastern Ukrainian city of Sumy, and was stranded there since the Russian invasion began on 24 February.
Her family ran to greet her as she walked through the doors into the arrivals hall at Dublin airport, where hugs and tears were shared.
"I'm happy to see her alive, that's the main thing", said her mother, Yemmy Diayolu.
She described the last few weeks as a "nightmare".
Racheal's father Taiwo Diyaolu said his daughter is made of tough stuff.
"I'm proud of her. With the kind of stuff she's made of, she's very resilient, very peaceful and very positive. That's what saw her through and I'm very happy that she's back", he said.
Racheal managed to escape Ukraine with the help of two volunteers Joe McCarthy and Gary Taylor, who travelled from Scotland to help civilians to safety.
She crossed the border into the EU and Romania on Wednesday afternoon after a three day cross-country car journey.
"It was a very anxious journey. We had a lot of really bad roads, things went wrong along the way, but we stayed positive and knew that once we were out of Sumy it was [on the] home strait. We knew we just had to go a little bit further and we'd be back home soon", she said.
Racheal left the city just in time.
"There was a bombing two days after we left so it was really good that we got out when we did", she said.
She described the Joe and Gary as "God-sends".
"They are average guys, they were always ready to have a laugh and take care of us if we needed anything. I don't know what I would do without them. They were God sends", she said.
Throughout the process of being stranded and arranging an escape route, Racheal said she stayed calm for her family.
"I wanted to get back to them. I didn't want them to be worrying about me when I was away. Calls home were important and it was really important for me to stay calm and let them know that I was okay and that I would get home to them at some point and here we are".
Her escape was aided by her sister Christiana Diyaolu in Ireland, who used social media to get in touch with the volunteers who would eventually rescue her.
"I'm her big sister. I had to do what big sisters do and look after my little sister so I did my best to try to advocate for her, and now she's back home. I'm so grateful for everyone's help to bring her here", she said.
Niamh Broderick, Principal at St Leo's College in Carlow, where Racheal is a past pupil, was also at the airport to welcome her home.
"We're so proud of Racheal. This time last year she was one of three head girls in the school, she only did her Leaving Cert last June. Throughout her six years, she has been an excellent student. So strong, bright, articulate and courageous. These are attributes that have stood to her throughout this horrific experience".
Racheal's first year studying medicine has been interrupted just three months in, but she said that an announcement by Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris that returning Irish students can continue their studies here is a "such a relief".
"Going out to another country again, I don't know how that would go down with the family!", she said.
Now her long journey is over, Racheal said the first thing she will do when she gets home is to sleep.
"I'm so tired. I'll spend as much time with the family as I can, try and catch up on the last three-and-a-half months, and just get some rest", she said.
