In the quiet moments before dawn on July 14, 2025, Mykola Pavlenko knelt on one knee in a flower-strewn park in Charlotte, North Carolina, and asked Iryna Zarutska to be his wife. She said “yes” with tears in her eyes, the diamond ring glinting under the streetlights, sealing a promise for a future together. The couple, both Ukrainian immigrants who had built a new life in the United States, planned a wedding for October 2025—a celebration of their love forged through shared dreams and resilience. But that future was stolen in an instant. On August 22, 2025, a catastrophic train derailment in Charlotte claimed Iryna’s life, leaving Mykola to face an unimaginable void. This is the story of their love, the tragedy that tore them apart, and a grieving fiancé’s journey to honor a woman who embodied hope in the face of adversity.

The derailment of Amtrak’s Carolinian train, now known as the Charlotte Train Tragedy, shocked the nation. Iryna, a 23-year-old pizza shop worker and community volunteer, was among the 17 passengers killed when the train collided with a stalled freight truck, derailing near Uptown Charlotte. The accident, attributed to signal failure and human error, injured 83 others and sparked debates over rail safety. For Mykola, a 32-year-old software engineer, the loss was personal—a fiancée whose laughter once filled their modest apartment, now silenced forever. Their story, woven with love, ambition, and the immigrant experience, serves as a poignant reminder of life’s fragility and the enduring power of memory.

Mykola and Iryna: A Love Born in Resilience

Mykola Pavlenko and Iryna Zarutska met in 2019 at a Ukrainian cultural festival in Charlotte, a city with a growing Eastern European diaspora. Mykola, who arrived in the U.S. in 2015 after fleeing the conflict in eastern Ukraine, was working as a junior developer at a local tech startup. Iryna, who immigrated in 2018 with her parents, was employed at a local pizza shop, Tony’s Pizzeria, in Charlotte’s NoDa district. Their connection was immediate—a shared language, a shared heritage, and a shared determination to thrive in a new country.

Born in Lviv, Ukraine, in 2002, Iryna grew up in a tight-knit family. Her father, a retired schoolteacher, and her mother, a seamstress, instilled values of hard work and compassion. When Russia’s aggression in Ukraine intensified, the family faced economic hardship, prompting their move to the U.S. Iryna, then 16, embraced the challenge. She learned English quickly, took on shifts at Tony’s Pizzeria, and became a beloved figure among coworkers and customers for her warm smile and tireless work ethic. She volunteered at community events, often distributing free pizza at local shelters, earning her a reputation as a generous soul despite her modest means.

Mykola, born in Donetsk in 1993, had a different path. The war in Donbas forced him to leave his engineering studies, arriving in Charlotte with little but his coding skills. He worked odd jobs—delivery driver, warehouse stocker—before landing a role at a fintech firm. Soft-spoken but driven, Mykola admired Iryna’s warmth and optimism. “She made everyone feel seen,” he later told a friend. Their early dates were simple: walks along the Little Sugar Creek Greenway, coffee at local cafés, and late-night talks about their dreams—a family, a home, a return visit to a peaceful Ukraine.

By 2022, they were inseparable. They moved into a cozy apartment in Charlotte’s NoDa district, decorating it with Ukrainian flags and family photos. Iryna’s love for cooking—borscht and varenyky were her specialties—filled their home with warmth, often paired with pizzas she brought home from work. Mykola, a self-taught guitarist, serenaded her with Ukrainian folk songs. Their friends, a mix of Ukrainian expats and American neighbors, saw them as a perfect match. “They balanced each other,” said Olena Koval, a close friend. “Iryna brought joy; Mykola brought calm.”

The proposal came after months of planning. Mykola saved for a modest but elegant ring, choosing a spot near the Romare Bearden Park fountain where they had their first kiss. On July 14, 2025, surrounded by roses he’d scattered at dawn, he proposed. Iryna’s “yes” was followed by a call to her parents in Raleigh, who wept with joy. The couple set a wedding date for October 2025, planning a small ceremony blending Ukrainian traditions—embroidered rushnyk cloths, braided bread—with American touches like a jazz band. Iryna had already picked a dress, a simple white gown with blue embroidery, symbolizing their heritage.

The Charlotte Train Tragedy: A Day of Horror

On August 22, 2025, Iryna boarded Amtrak’s Carolinian train at Raleigh’s Union Station, heading to Charlotte for a weekend with Mykola. She had taken a day off from Tony’s Pizzeria to attend a friend’s baby shower and was excited to finalize wedding details. At 2:47 p.m., near the CSX rail crossing at North Tryon Street in Charlotte, the train, traveling at 65 mph, collided with a stalled freight truck carrying construction materials. The impact derailed six of the train’s eight cars, sending them crashing into nearby tracks and a warehouse. Debris flew, windows shattered, and a fire broke out in one car. Emergency responders described the scene as “utter chaos.”

Iryna, seated in the fourth car, was killed instantly when a steel beam from the truck pierced the carriage. Her body was identified hours later through her ID and phone, which Mykola had gifted her. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) later cited a faulty signal system and the truck driver’s failure to clear the tracks as primary causes. The driver, uninjured, faces charges of involuntary manslaughter. The tragedy claimed 17 lives, including a teacher, a retired veteran, and a college student, with 83 others injured, some critically.

Mykola was at work when he received a call from Iryna’s mother, who had seen breaking news about the derailment. Frantic, he tried calling Iryna, but her phone went to voicemail. He rushed to the crash site, only to be turned away by police. Hours later, at a local hospital, he learned of her death. “I felt my heart stop,” he later shared. “She was my everything.”

The nation mourned alongside Charlotte’s tight-knit community. Vigils sprang up, with candles and sunflowers—Ukraine’s national flower—lining the crash site. President Biden addressed the tragedy, calling for rail safety reforms. Social media overflowed with tributes to Iryna, whose coworkers at Tony’s Pizzeria shared stories of her kindness. “She was the one who’d sneak extra toppings for kids,” said manager Tony Russo. Mykola, overwhelmed, issued a brief statement: “Iryna was my love, my future. I ask for prayers to carry her light forward.”

A Love Forged in the Immigrant Experience

The love story of Mykola and Iryna was deeply rooted in their shared Ukrainian heritage and the challenges of building a life in America. Both had fled a homeland scarred by conflict—Mykola from Donetsk’s war-torn streets, Iryna from Lviv’s economic struggles post-2014. In Charlotte, they found not just safety but opportunity. Iryna’s job at Tony’s Pizzeria, though not her dream career, gave her independence and a chance to connect with the community. She often spoke of saving for college, inspired by Mykola’s determination to advance in tech.

Their relationship thrived on mutual support. Iryna helped Mykola navigate visa renewals; he encouraged her to pursue her goals, offering to fund her education. They attended Ukrainian Orthodox services, preserving traditions like Christmas Eve’s 12-dish supper. Yet, they embraced their American life, cheering for the Carolina Panthers and hosting Fourth of July barbecues. “They were proud to be Ukrainian but loved being American,” said friend Dmytro Bohdan. Their apartment was a blend of worlds: a vyshyvanka shirt hung beside a Charlotte skyline print.

The couple’s resilience mirrored the broader Ukrainian diaspora, which has grown in the U.S. since Russia’s invasion escalated in 2022. Charlotte’s Ukrainian community, numbering over 5,000, rallied around Mykola post-tragedy. Fundraisers covered funeral costs, and a community award in Iryna’s name was established at Tony’s Pizzeria for local volunteers. Her parents, now in their 60s, moved temporarily to Charlotte to grieve with Mykola, finding solace in shared memories.

The Aftermath: Mykola’s Grief and Search for Meaning

Losing Iryna has left Mykola in a fog of grief. The apartment they shared feels empty; her apron from Tony’s Pizzeria still hangs in the kitchen, her engagement ring now rests in a box beside Mykola’s bed. He has taken leave from work, spending days at St. Basil Ukrainian Catholic Church, where he lights candles for Iryna. Therapy, arranged through community support, helps him process the loss, but he admits, “Some days, I just want to hear her voice.”

Mykola has channeled his pain into advocacy. He joined a victims’ coalition pushing for stricter rail safety regulations, testifying at a North Carolina Senate hearing in September 2025. “Iryna died because of preventable failures,” he said. “I can’t bring her back, but I can fight for others.” The NTSB’s ongoing investigation has revealed systemic issues—outdated signals, understaffed crews—prompting Amtrak to pledge $2 billion in upgrades. Mykola’s voice, though soft, carries weight, echoing Iryna’s own advocacy for the vulnerable.

He also plans to honor Iryna through a foundation in her name, focusing on community service and youth education. “She believed in giving back,” he says. Seed funding from community donations, including contributions from Tony’s Pizzeria customers, has raised $50,000. Mykola envisions scholarships for young immigrants in Charlotte, a legacy Iryna would have championed.

The wedding they planned for October will never happen, but Mykola keeps her memory alive. He wears a blue-and-yellow bracelet, a nod to Ukraine’s flag, and visits the park where he proposed. Friends worry about his isolation, but he finds solace in small acts: cooking Iryna’s recipes, playing her favorite songs. “She’s still with me,” he says, touching the bracelet.

The Community’s Response: Healing Through Unity

Charlotte has rallied around the tragedy’s victims. The city council declared August 22 a day of remembrance, with Mayor Vi Lyles attending a multi-faith vigil. Ukrainian Americans held a traditional panakhyda service for Iryna, singing “Vichnaya Pamyat” (Eternal Memory). Local businesses, from pizzerias to tech firms, donated to recovery efforts, reflecting Charlotte’s ethos of community.

The derailment has spurred national conversations. Rail safety advocates cite the tragedy as a wake-up call, pointing to 1,164 derailments in the U.S. in 2024 alone. Lawmakers are drafting bills for automated braking systems and stricter crossing protocols. Meanwhile, Iryna’s story has humanized the statistics. Her high school in Lviv named a classroom after her, and Tony’s Pizzeria plans a memorial wall with her photo, honoring her spirit.

A Fragile Life, an Enduring Love

The Charlotte Train Tragedy is a stark reminder of life’s unpredictability. For Mykola Pavlenko, the loss of Iryna Zarutska is a wound that may never fully heal. She was his fiancée, his partner in dreams, a woman who brought light to coworkers, customers, and strangers alike. Their love, though cut short, was a testament to resilience—two immigrants who found each other in a new land, building a future against the odds.

As Mykola faces a future without Iryna, he clings to her legacy. The ring he gave her, the “yes” she answered, and the wedding they planned live on in his heart. Through his advocacy and the community’s embrace, Iryna’s spirit endures—a beacon of compassion in a world too often marked by loss. In the quiet of Charlotte’s parks, where they once walked hand in hand, Mykola whispers her name, a promise to carry her light forward.