PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — A high school student forced to leave Ukraine during the war shared his personal story in a special Thanksgiving musical salute.
David Kozyrkov, 17, performed for his teachers and fellow students to say thank you as he prepares for his second Thanksgiving in the U.S.
Kozyrkov is a student at the Philadelphia Performing Arts: A String Theory Charter School.
On Monday, David played piano and sang songs to a crowd there. He performed Ukrainian Christmas carols and spoke about fleeing Ukraine at age 15.
CBS News Philadelphia
He didn’t even speak English when he first arrived in the U.S.
The United Nations says over 6.2 million refugees from Ukraine have been recorded worldwide and another 3.6 million people are displaced within the country.
Kozyrkov was connected with the school through his church and credits the school’s Dr. Jack Carr with helping him get a piano to play at home.
“All these people here are really kind to me, are really good for me,” Kozyrkov said. “I have a lot of friends and that’s really helped me.”
David lives with his mother and sister in the city. His father is still in Ukraine serving as a military chaplain in the war.
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