'We can't believe it': Winnipeggers throw surprise baby shower for Ukrainian refugee couple
A Winnipeg woman is making sure a couple from Ukraine is feeling right at home as they prepare to welcome their first child.
Mariia and Constantin Domin arrived in Winnipeg at the end of May after leaving war-torn Ukraine.
Betty Boisvert met the couple while they were picking up donated supplies for their apartment at a storage warehouse and Boisvert heard Constantin playing the piano in the warehouse.
"I was absolutely enthralled by his music," said Boisvert.
While telling one of her friends about the couple, they came up with an idea to throw them a baby shower, as Mariia is expecting her baby on July 12.
She said she was able to get a bunch of community members together, who had never met Mariia or Constantin, and the shower was held on June 22.
"They fit right in, the two of them. We had a lot of laughs…they were just absolutely thrilled with all the gifts they got."
Mariia and Constantin Domin receiving new clothes for their baby. (Source: Betty Boisvert)
Mariia said the couple were scared when they first came to Winnipeg as they left family behind and didn't know anyone in the city. However, that quickly changed as they said people have been so friendly to them.
"We've had a lot of help here. It's so heartwarming that we have had a lot of help. We can't believe it," said Mariia.
The two started off living in a hotel when they first arrived and later transitioned to an apartment.
On the day of the shower, Mariia said she received a phone call from Boisvert telling her they had something for them.
Mariia and Constantin Domin at a surprise baby shower. (Source: Betty Boisvert)
"There were a lot of people," said Mariia.
"It was a very happy day for us," said Constantin.
The two received several items including clothes, a changing table, a crib as well as money to help them when the baby comes.
Boisvert said she has taken it upon herself to take Mariia and Constantin under her wing.
"We've adopted them. They're mine," Boisvert laughed.
While they wait for their baby, Constantin said he is focused on work. He currently has a job in a warehouse but said he is hoping to get back into music as he used to teach piano in Ukraine.
"I want to continue studying music," he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Louis Gossett Jr., 1st Black man to win supporting actor Oscar, dies at 87
Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries 'Roots,' has died. He was 87.
Weather alerts issued for 7 provinces, 1 territory
Warnings of up to 60 millimetres of rain and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces and one territory ahead of the Easter weekend.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Luxury cruise line selling world cruise suite for US$1.7 million
Luxury operator Regent Seven Seas Cruises is raising their price tag to eye-watering levels, with a suite on an upcoming 140-day world voyage costing US$1.7 million.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
A Filipino villager is nailed to a cross for the 35th time on Good Friday to pray for world peace
A Filipino villager has been nailed to a wooden cross for the 35th time to reenact Jesus Christ’s suffering in a brutal Good Friday tradition he said he would devote to pray for peace in Ukraine, Gaza and the disputed South China Sea.
Ontario homeowner on the hook for $27,000 when contractor severed power line
An Ontario man who built a garage on his property has been locked in a battle with his electricity provider for a year and half over a severed power line.
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.