Her Story
She fled war. She found a new home. She was taken too soon.
Iryna Zarutska was a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee with an artist’s heart. After earning a degree in art and restoration from Kyiv, she left Ukraine in 2022 to escape the war and build a safer life in the United States.
She settled in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she was known for her creativity, kindness, and deep love for her family. She worked hard, dreamed big, and carried the resilience of a young woman who had already survived so much.
On the night of August 22, 2025, while riding the LYNX Blue Line light rail home from work, Iryna was attacked from behind in an unprovoked stabbing. She died from her injuries on the train.
Her life mattered. Her memory moves us to act.
