Morgan Stanley employee shares why she left NYC life for Ukraine: 'That’s what I need to do'

A midtown apartment, a devoted boyfriend and a job as an investment banking analyst at Morgan Stanley, Viktoriia Honcharuk had it all at 22. But when her country faced destruction, her heart surrendered, and she swapped a life of privileges for serving those in need of help. "It was a dream come true for me. The crazy, perfect life," she told the NY Post. But what changed? Find out below.In December 2022, in just two weeks, the Ukrainian citizen went from partying in members-only clubs to treating the wounded at the frontline in the country's war with Russia. Now 25, she works as an emergency combat nurse and has treated soldiers who have lost arms, legs and eyes in the battle. While treating the fighters, she had fought death herself multiple times. She has closely witnessed deaths and had to cremate three of her close friends herself.Over the course of three years, Honcharuk has found her purpose in defending her country. Now, she shares her journey on Instagram calling others to sign up for the fight. However, her work comes with the guilt of risking the lives of those who follow her lead. "Very quickly, I realised this is the place I want to be in," she told the outlet. Many questioned her decision to leave a well-settled life in NYC and a job at Morgan Stanley to become a nurse. But Honcharuk is doing what she "believes in." "[I recall thinking] I needed to be there because otherwise, how am I going to look my [future] kids in the eyes? What am I going to tell them?" she shared with NYP.Honcharuk was born in 2000 in a small town about 50 miles from the city of Zhytomyr in Ukraine. Eager to travel the world, she began learning English at the age of 13. At 15, she moved to Texas for high school. She went on to study computer science, data science and statistics at San Francisco's Minerva University. As soon as she secured a job at Morgan Stanley she moved to Manhattan.As the war began in Ukraine, she began sending some of her salary back home to help with the war effort. However, as situations worsened she took a leave of absence from Morgan Stanley before 2022, flew to Ukraine, signed up to the army and took training to become a combat medic. “It was the most needed job at that point,” the war recruit stated. “I was afraid of blood, I was afraid of needles, I’ve never done anything medical before, but I was like, ‘That’s what I need to do.'”Now, she knows first aid, how to apply tourniquets, set IV drips and treat HAT wounds. Stationed just 800 metres from the front line, she raced to wounded soldiers, brought them back to hospitals and treated them. As per Honcharuk, a bigger war will come "if we don't stop Russia." And she is ready to fight with all she can. “If I die tomorrow, there’s not much to regret. I think I’ve done more than the average person can say they did.”