'Bikes can change your life and we are proof of that' – How a Colorado bike shop gave one family a fresh start after fleeing war-torn Ukraine

In the face of uncertainty, bike shop ownership has become a beacon of opportunity, helping a Ukrainian family secure a future and a home as they start over.

Ievgen Potykun and Hanna Boiarska of Freedom Folding and Electric Bikes in Colorado
(Image credit: Ievgen Potykun and Hanna Boiarska)

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians have sought refuge in the United States. Forced to leave behind their homes, careers, and loved ones, many arrived with little more than hope and determination to start anew.

For Ievgen Potykun and Hanna Boiarska, along with their three sons, the transition was filled with uncertainty—until an unexpected lifeline appeared in the form of a small bike shop in Boulder, Colorado, offering them not just work, but a chance to rebuild the safe, peaceful life they had lost.

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