In the wake of a senseless tragedy that shook Charlotte and reverberated across the nation, friends of Iryna Zarutska, the 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee brutally murdered on a light-rail train last month, have released a poignant tribute video. The montage, shared on social media, offers a glimpse into the young woman’s joyful adaptation to life in the United States—a stark contrast to the horrific surveillance footage of her final moments that has haunted the public. Amid tears and tributes, one close friend shared a gut-wrenching reflection: “Just last night we were having fun, laughing together, and we planned to go out tonight after work for a night on the town… but then…” The ellipsis hangs heavy, encapsulating the abrupt end to a life full of promise.
The video, posted by Iryna’s dear friend Ulya on Instagram just days ago, has quickly gone viral, amassing thousands of views and heartfelt comments. Titled “Forever Young: In Memory of Iryna,” it compiles clips and photos from her two years in America, showcasing the resilience and vibrancy that defined her. Set to a melancholic Ukrainian folk melody blended with upbeat American pop tracks, the tribute paints Iryna as a beacon of hope—a refugee who fled war-torn Ukraine only to embrace the American Dream with open arms. “She was always smiling, always planning the next adventure,” Ulya wrote in the caption, accompanied by hashtags like #ForeverYoung, #AlwaysLoved, and #JusticeForIryna.
Iryna Zarutska arrived in the United States in 2022, escaping the full-scale Russian invasion of her homeland. Born in Kyiv, she was just 20 when bombs began falling, forcing her family to make the harrowing decision to seek refuge abroad. With her mother and siblings, Iryna settled in Huntersville, a quiet suburb north of Charlotte, under humanitarian parole. Armed with a degree in art and restoration from Kyiv’s Synergy University, she quickly adapted, finding work at a local pizzeria while honing her English and pursuing freelance graphic design gigs. “America was her canvas,” her sister Olena recalled in a previous interview. “She saw opportunity in every corner, every skyline.”
The tribute video opens with Iryna’s first days in North Carolina, capturing her wide-eyed wonder at everyday American sights. There’s footage of her at a Fourth of July barbecue, laughing as she tries her first hot dog slathered in mustard, fireworks exploding overhead. “She loved the freedom here—the holidays, the diversity,” Ulya told this reporter in an exclusive phone interview. “Coming from a place where sirens meant danger, she cherished the simple joys: picnics in the park, road trips to the beach.” Clips show Iryna and her friends cruising down Interstate 77 in a borrowed car, windows down, singing along to Taylor Swift’s “Welcome to New York”—a nod to her initial dreams of the Big Apple before settling in the South.
As the video progresses, it delves into Iryna’s daily routine, humanizing the woman behind the headlines. Mornings at the pizzeria, where she worked the counter with infectious enthusiasm, flipping dough and chatting with customers. “She made the best pepperoni pies,” said coworker Marco Rossi, who contributed photos to the tribute. “But more than that, she brought light to the kitchen. We’d dance to Ukrainian pop during slow hours.” Evenings were for creativity: sketches of Charlotte’s uptown skyline, digital art inspired by the Blue Ridge Mountains, shared on her Instagram under the handle @IrynaArtDreams. The video includes time-lapses of her painting sessions, brushstrokes transforming blank canvases into vibrant landscapes that blended Ukrainian motifs with American icons—like a Cossack riding a Mustang through the Appalachians.
Interspersed are moments of pure joy with her circle of friends, a tight-knit group of fellow immigrants and locals who became her adopted family. Pool parties in the sweltering Carolina summers, where Iryna splashes water with abandon, her laughter echoing. Game nights playing cards—Uno and traditional Ukrainian durak—around a cluttered table laden with pizza and beer. “She was unbeatable at cards,” Ulya reminisced, her voice cracking. “Always had that sly smile when she was about to win.” One particularly touching segment shows Iryna cooking borscht in a shared kitchen, teaching her American roommates the recipe passed down from her grandmother. “She bridged worlds,” said roommate Anna Petrova, another Ukrainian expat. “Her food, her stories—they made us feel at home even when home was thousands of miles away.”
The video also highlights Iryna’s budding romance with Stanislav Nikulytsia, a fellow Ukrainian refugee she met at a community support group in Charlotte. Clips capture stolen kisses at a local fair, walks hand-in-hand through Discovery Place museum, and cozy evenings watching Netflix. “They were soulmates,” Ulya said. “Stanislav was her rock. In the video, you see them dancing in the rain—pure, unfiltered happiness.” Stanislav, still reeling from the loss, declined to comment but liked the post with a heart emoji, a silent tribute to their shared dreams of building a life together.
But it’s the emotional core of the tribute—the raw grief of those left behind—that has resonated most deeply. Ulya, who shared the video on September 15, 2025, exactly three weeks after Iryna’s death, included a voiceover narration that brings viewers to tears. “Iryna, you were the light in our lives. From the bombs of Kyiv to the streets of Charlotte, you never stopped dreaming. We’ll carry your spirit forever.” Comments flooded in: “Thank you for showing us the real Iryna—beautiful inside and out,” wrote one user. Another: “This breaks my heart. She had so much life ahead.” The video serves as an antidote to the gruesome surveillance footage released earlier this month, which depicted the fatal stabbing on Charlotte’s Lynx Blue Line train—a clip that sparked national outrage over public safety and mental health crises.
In our interview, Ulya opened up about the night before the tragedy, her words echoing the pain of what-ifs. “Just last night, we were having fun,” she said, her voice trembling over the phone. “We met up after her shift, grabbed coffee at a local spot. We were laughing about silly things—work drama, bad dates from the past. We planned to go out tonight after work for a night on the town: dinner at that new Ukrainian fusion restaurant downtown, then dancing at a club. She was so excited, talking about wearing her favorite dress. But then… she took that train home, and everything changed.” The “but then” lingers, a chasm of loss. Ulya paused, choking back sobs. “I keep replaying our last hug. If only she’d stayed longer, or if I’d driven her home…”
The tribute comes amid ongoing investigations into Iryna’s murder on August 22, 2025. Surveillance video showed Decarlos Brown Jr., a 34-year-old homeless man with a history of violent crimes and untreated schizophrenia, approaching Iryna unprovoked and stabbing her in the neck as she sat quietly on the train near Camden Road station. Brown, who has 14 prior arrests including armed robbery and assault, was apprehended shortly after at East/West Boulevard station. Federal charges have been filed, potentially making him eligible for the death penalty due to the interstate nature of the crime and its classification as a hate crime against immigrants, though motives remain unclear. “This was a random act of terror,” U.S. Attorney Rachel Kline stated at a recent press conference. “But Iryna’s story is bigger than her death—it’s about the lives she touched.”
The video has ignited a wave of community support. A vigil held last week at Freedom Park drew hundreds, with candles spelling out “Iryna” in Ukrainian script. Local artists have muraled her likeness on uptown walls, incorporating elements from her sketches. The pizzeria where she worked has renamed a pizza in her honor—”Iryna’s Special,” featuring Ukrainian toppings like beets and dill—and donates proceeds to refugee aid organizations. “She could have taken the world by storm,” neighbor Sarah Jenkins said at the vigil. “Her kindness, her talent—it was infectious.”
Iryna’s family, still in shock back in Ukraine, has viewed the video through tearful video calls. “It’s bittersweet,” Olena shared. “Seeing her happy reminds us of what we lost, but it also preserves her legacy.” A GoFundMe for repatriation and a memorial fund has surpassed $200,000, fueled by shares of the tribute. Advocacy groups like the National Network to End Domestic Violence and Ukrainian American organizations are using her story to push for better transit security and mental health resources. “One life lost is too many,” said Dr. Lena Hargrove, a local psychologist. “This highlights systemic failures: untreated illness, inadequate protections for vulnerable riders.”
As Charlotte grapples with the aftermath, the tribute video stands as a testament to resilience. Ulya plans to expand it into a short documentary, interviewing more friends and incorporating Iryna’s unreleased artwork. “She deserves to be remembered for her life, not her death,” Ulya emphasized. In the final frames of the video, Iryna blows a kiss to the camera, her eyes sparkling with unbridled optimism. It’s a frozen moment of joy, a counterpoint to the darkness that claimed her.
Yet, the pain persists. Friends like Anna and Marco gather weekly to reminisce, sharing stories over borscht recipes Iryna taught them. “We were supposed to celebrate her birthday next month,” Anna said. “Now, we’re planning a memorial instead.” Stanislav, in a rare social media post, wrote: “My love, you lit up my world. I’ll fight for justice in your name.”
The broader implications ripple outward. Charlotte’s CATS system has faced intense scrutiny, with calls for increased security cameras, onboard officers, and mental health interventions at stations. Mayor Vi Lyles addressed the community last week, promising reforms: “Iryna’s tragedy must spark change.” Nationwide, her story has fueled discussions on immigration, public safety, and the American Dream’s fragility. Podcasts and documentaries are in the works, ensuring her name endures.
In Ulya’s words, the tribute is “a love letter to Iryna.” It reminds us that behind every headline is a human story—of laughter, dreams, and unbreakable bonds. As autumn leaves begin to fall in Charlotte, mirroring the season of loss, the video plays on, a digital eternal flame. “Just last night…”—words that echo the cruelty of fate, but also the enduring power of memory.
For those moved by Iryna’s story, donations can be made via the family’s GoFundMe, and her art lives on through shared galleries online. Justice proceedings continue, with Brown’s arraignment scheduled for next month. In the meantime, her friends vow to keep her spirit alive—one video, one story at a time.
