Victoria family still recovering physically and emotionally after arson injures daughter
It's been a week since suspected arson forced the priest of a Ukrainian church and his young family to flee their Victoria home.
Three children had to jump to safety from a second-storey window to escape the fire.
Father Yuriy Vyshnevskyy, who is a priest for a Ukranian Catholic church next door to his home, says his eldest daughter has had a second surgery on her left arm to repair nerve damage caused when she leapt from the second-floor window into his arms.
She is not expected to regain full use of that arm for a year, but will hopefully make a full recovery.
The family's cat, which was resuscitated by firefighters, is also expected to survive, though it may be permanently blind.
A mother, father and three children were all inside the home when the fire broke out.
The family escaped the fire in their pajamas, and most of their possessions remain inside the damaged building, including photo albums and the priest's wedding ring.
Still, the family's overwhelmed by the support from members of the community – some of them perfect strangers – including one man who gave the priest the jacket off his back.
So far, $50,000 has been raised for the family, and others have dropped off an anonymous card with gifts for the family and their cat.
Vyshnevskyy says the community has ben "caring" and "concerned" and that their support will become "the foundation of our new lives, whether it's going to be at this location at this house, or somewhere else."
"We turned the page last Wednesday, and this is the beginning of our new lives," he said.
NEXT STEPS
It's not yet known whether the heritage house will have to be rebuilt or if it can be restored.
Either way, the priest estimates it will take a year before they can return here. For the moment, the family's staying with friends, but they plan to rent a place once they know if and when they can return to the damaged home.
Victoria police continue to investigate the arson and have not ruled out the possibility that it was a hate crime.
The priest's wife heard and smelled someone pouring gasoline through their mail slot, before it was lit on fire.
Vyshnevskyy says while his family’s physical scars will heal, the emotional trauma will take longer, and they expect to benefit from counselling services in the coming weeks and months.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.