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'It changes you forever': Born in Bosnia, Balkan Treat Box owners reflect on images from war in Ukraine

"That is exactly how we escaped as well," Edo Nalic said of Ukrainian images that mirror his memories. "You wake up one morning, and you have to run for your life."

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — The United Nations estimates more than 2 million people have fled Ukraine in less than two weeks, many leaving with only what they could hold.

For brothers Edo and Emir Nalic, originally from Bosnia, the images mirror their own memories of war.

"Someone told me the other day, 'Can you imagine those poor people what they are going through?'" Emir recalled. "In my head, I was like 'Yeah, I can imagine exactly because we lived that.'"

"It changes you forever," Edo added.

Owners of the award-winning Balkan Treat Box in Webster Groves, the brothers say they can't escape the images of this current war or memories of their own.

"That is exactly how we escaped as well," Edo said of the videos from Ukraine. "You wake up one morning, and you have to run for your life. And after that moment, nothing is going to be the same ever again."

Edo arrived first in the US, following an aunt who resettled here. After his 2004 move, he connected with the local Bosnian community, and both brothers say that's a good lesson for the countries taking in Ukrainians: having neighborhoods that revolved around their own culture made the transition easier, and those same areas serve as cultural centers for the community that takes the refuges in.

"You can ask the ladies that work the register. Everyone wants to know where the Balkans are, where is Bosnia, where the dishes are from. It's an educational experience on the daily," Emir said.

As they look at new lives now displaced by war, Edo warns "Even if the war stopped now, there are going to be multiple generations lost."

They now hope to see the refugees find hosts with generosity and open arms, Edo asking everyone to "be kind, be understanding, be open."

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