Now the 25-year-old Napa Valley native is trying to help friends in Ukraine where relief supplies have been slow to arrive. Here's how you can join the effort to support those affected by the war:
Aaron Starr's path to safety wasn't easy, now he and his family members back home are trying to help in the humanitarian crisis.
"The whole car ride we were reading the news to see where the Russian troops were bombing and advancing," said Starr.Starr works for a Ukrainian tech company, he grew up in Yountville. He is a 2014 graduate of Vintage High School. But he never imaged, becoming a refugee caught in the middle of a war.
"We're trying to tell clients 'hey this is a hard time for Ukraine, if you have operations in Russia, please discontinue them,'" he said.Ukrainian refugees arrive in Bay Area sharing heartbreaking stories of leaving everything behind