As he shoots baskets with classmates at Bellingham's Meridian High School, Ruslan Berzhatiy understands life is no mere game. At just 16 years old he has experienced more than most people can imagine. "You hear sirens and bombs," he said through an interpreter. "It's lawless. Daily life is very difficult in Ukraine." A church group helped Ruslan, his parents and his younger brother escape Ukraine for Bellingham. It was a tough transition -- learning a new language, culture and way of life --but it has been made much easier thanks to a group of guys who took him in and called him a friend. Ruslan joined the junior varsity basketball squad and fit right in. "Basketball became my second family. After a couple of practices I already had a lot of friends," Ruslan said. "I'm very happy to be part of the team." Read the full story here: https://www.king5.com/article/news/nation-world/ukraine/ukrainian-refugee-finds-family-on-meridian-high-school-basketball-team/281-b1e62bb9-196b-45b2-9a05-4ea770f33afd