Newsletter 9/15: When Iryna Zarutska was laid to rest
Plus: How to get Covid booster; Answering reader question on digital driver's licenses; Charlotte FC clinches playoff berth; Braxton Winston to head big N.C. labor union
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5 days after Iryna Zarutska’s killing, friends and family gathered outside of the public glare to remember her, with art, music and memories; ‘Paint something, kiss a flower … she would want that'
by Tony Mecia
You could see the blond hair poking up from inside the open white casket. The young woman’s artwork displayed on easels. The family and close friends in the front row, talking quietly.
A slideshow played on a screen near the casket, with photos of her goofing around with friends, taking selfies, playing with a dog, painting.
Then, the music started: a song in Russian, by the Ukrainian boy band The Quest Pistols, called Ты так красива, or “Ty Tak Krasiva.” That translates to “You Are So Beautiful.” It was one of her favorite songs.
It was a quiet Wednesday afternoon in a small funeral home behind a shopping center in Huntersville. There were no banks of TV cameras, no politicians or dignitaries, no attention to it on social media or the national news.
Just a few dozen people at James Funeral Home, doing what you do at a funeral: signing the guestbook, sitting solemnly and listening to loved ones remember the deceased — in this case, Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year old who had emigrated from Ukraine with family members to escape the violence there.
The service was held on Aug. 27, five days after her death, and at the time, information was just starting to emerge about what had happened on that Blue Line light rail train. The funeral was publicly advertised. I sat in, to learn more about the short life of the young woman whose name wasn’t yet nationally known.
“We have gathered ourselves together today to celebrate the life, to mourn the death and honor the memory of Iryna,” began John Hill, the funeral director. “She passed from this life into eternity just this past Friday, on August the 22nd. No one here expected to be here today. This is tragic and most difficult, to say the least.”
He highlighted Iryna’s hardships as a Ukrainian immigrant and her ability to find happiness despite challenges. And, perhaps from conversations with her loved ones, he recalled her smile most of all.
“She loved having a good time,” he said. “She smiled. As a matter of fact, her smile was infectious, and it was contagious. Anytime she smiled, she lit up the room. Anytime she smiled, she got the attention of everybody.”
The service was live-streamed. Iryna’s father, Stanislav, watched from Ukraine.
There were two other speakers. Iryna’s sister, Lerka, praised Iryna’s boyfriend, Stas, briefly in English before switching to Ukrainian.
“I just don’t know the words to tell you my gratitude for making her happy,” she told him in Ukrainian, according to a later translation. “... You are part of our family forever.”
She urged people to love each other — and to be sure to tell those you love that you love them: “It is very important to tell a person once more.”
Reflecting on her sister’s death, she said: “Something was torn out of me, something that will never return, something very precious and great. That’s all. Thank you for coming. Thank you for supporting us.”
Iryna’s cousin, Vera Falkner, rose to thank Iryna “for the late-night conversations, every laugh, every cry.” She said, “Grief will look like a random Tuesday night, when a stranger passes by wearing your favorite perfume. Grief will look like listening to your favorite music without you. Grief will find you in conversations or the shower or while you sit in traffic or attending an art exhibition.”
At the end of her remarks, she paused, then added: “And please, she would hate this. She would want you to dance or listen to music, smoke a cigarette — do something. Paint something. Kiss a flower. This dance of life is so fragile,” she said, slowing down the words. “And she is way too young for this. And you all know it. We all know it. Do something with your life. She would want that.”
Hill pointed out that the name Iryna means “peace.” Her life was taken too soon, he said, but she made the most of her 23 years.
“She took the hardships and the struggles of the life that she had, and instead of being down and out, she overcame them,” he said. “She experienced joy. She experienced happiness. She still had a smile, and she’d want you to have that tonight.”
In the weeks since her death, much of the public focus has centered on the violence of Iryna’s final moments, and on questions of safety and accountability. The man charged in her random stabbing, DeCarlos Brown Jr., has a long criminal history and had been diagnosed with mental illness.
But in that small room in Huntersville, the focus was on something else. It was on Iryna’s laughter, her artwork, her smile that could brighten a room.
As the service concluded, those in attendance were asked to place flowers beside her in her casket. They were symbols of grief — but also reminders of a young life full of beauty.
Tony Mecia is the executive editor of The Charlotte Ledger. Reach him at tony@cltledger.com
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At Carnegie Private Wealth, we bring clarity to complexity. Through thoughtful planning and personal attention, we transform your financial aspirations into actionable strategies. Providing you with less stress and greater confidence in your future.
Want the new Covid booster? Try skipping the gym — State says pharmacists can give vaccine to people with ‘very broad’ range of health conditions, including ‘physical inactivity’
The new Covid shot is in pharmacies now, but thanks to changes at the federal level, getting it isn’t as easy as it used to be.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration in August restricted who can get the boosters, approving them only for adults age 65-plus and younger people who have a health condition that puts them at higher risk.
But if you’re under 65, don’t count yourself out just yet.
At a Friday press conference, state health director Larry Greenblatt gave N.C. pharmacies the green light to administer the vaccine to anyone with a qualifying health condition — a long list of conditions he described as “very broad.” Then Greenblatt rattled off some examples: “obesity, asthma, diabetes, physical inactivity, depression, former or current smoking and pregnancy, among many others.”
Physical inactivity? It seems like that could describe a lot of us, so The Ledger asked for clarification: Does that mean you can qualify just because you don’t exercise much?
In response, Kelly Kimple, the state’s chief medical officer, noted that physical inactivity is on the federal government’s “accepted” list of conditions that put you at higher risk of Covid.
In other words, yes. But do you need to provide proof?
Kimple said the pharmacy may ask you to attest that you have the condition that makes you eligible — “physical inactivity being one of those” — but “there shouldn't be any medical documentation necessary to receive the vaccine.”
So there you have it. Sharing your couch-potato status with your pharmacist could be an easy way to get the Covid booster.
If you want the shot, you do exercise and you don’t meet any of the other conditions, you can still get the vaccine with a prescription from your doctor, state health officials said.
Dimitrios Hondros, a family practice physician at Carolina Family Healthcare in Ballantyne, said if a patient asks him for a prescription, he’s not going to deny them “unless there is a true counterindication.”
He added that he’s glad the state is now allowing drug stores to give the vaccines to those with qualifying conditions, because previously, pharmacies were requiring a doctor’s note from everyone, and his office was inundated with requests.
“This creates less red tape for people who want to get it,” Dr. Hondros said.
Who should get the latest booster is a matter of some dispute. A federal vaccine advisory panel is supposed to make recommendations this month. But some health officials worry that the group’s new members, appointed by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. after he ousted the previous panel, include vaccine skeptics. For now, it falls on individuals and their doctors to decide.
State health officials recommend asking your insurer about coverage if you don’t want to get stuck paying the bill for the shot, which can cost as much as $142 out of pocket.
Meanwhile, North Carolina is keeping an eye on rising virus levels. State health officials reported a sharp increase this month in Covid detected in wastewater. — Michelle Crouch
You Ask, We Answer: When is N.C. getting digital driver’s licenses?
It’s time for another installment of “You Ask, We Answer” — the feature where you (the reader) ask a question, and we (The Ledger) answer.
Today’s question comes from Ledger reader John, who wants to know the status of North Carolina’s plans to offer digital, or mobile, driver’s licenses. Here’s what he wrote:
What is the status of North Carolina’s plans to offer digital (mobile) driver’s licenses (mDLs) starting July 1, 2025? Here’s what I know: July 2, 2024 — Gov. Roy Cooper signed House Bill 199, which authorized North Carolina to issue mobile driver’s licenses as legal equivalent to physical ones. Launch Date — The legal framework and app-launch provisions were to take effect July 1, 2025.
We’re on it, John.
We reached out to Marty R. Homan, communications manager for the N.C. Department of Motor Vehicles, and here’s what he replied:
The law you reference allowed DMV to make them available as soon as July 1 (the language said may issue). I have no timeline for when mobile driver licenses/digital IDs will be available.
So for now, John, your wallet isn’t going anywhere. Maybe one day soon you’ll be able to ditch the plastic.
Have a question that’s been bugging you? Shoot us an email and we’ll investigate. —Lindsey Banks
Well, there’s 1 team who plays at Bank of America Stadium that’s headed to the playoffs
Charlotte FC beat superstar Lionel Messi and Inter Miami 3-0 on Saturday to clinch a playoff berth. The team has won nine games in a row and is in third place in the Eastern Conference. Major League Soccer playoffs start Oct. 22. You can follow the team with The Ledger’s Fútbol Friday newsletter. (Photos by Kevin Young/The 5 and 2 Project)
You might be interested in these Charlotte events
Events submitted by readers to The Ledger’s events board:
WEDNESDAY: “Charlotte Area Chamber Public Policy Meeting,” 5-6:30 p.m., at Envision Charlotte, Innovation Barn, 932 Seigle Ave. Join Bryan Holladay for a conversation with state Sen. Woodson Bradley, a first‑year senator from Mecklenburg County. They will talk about her experience in the General Assembly and will explore the workings of the legislative process. Topics will cover passing the transit tax legislation, her favorite bill this session and how the state is managing to function without a budget. Registration required. Free.
FRIDAY: “Senior Scholars Weekly Meetings,” 10-11 a.m., at Providence United Methodist Church, 2810 Providence Road. Senior Scholars, where informed speakers come together with curious listeners and lively conversations grow from ideas, invites you to join a welcoming community of older adults. Dr. Mary Jo McGowan, Professor of Political Science and Public Administration at UNC Charlotte and co-author of “A Republic If You Can Afford It” will discuss the timely issue of election integrity with an eye to the relationship between the cost of elections and voter confidence. $5 for guests. $25 annual membership.
OCTOBER 23: “Carolina Charm: A Night of Reality TV-Inspired Entertainment & Impact,” 7-10 p.m., at The Revelry, 701 Keswick Ave. Hosted by Southern Charm’s Shep Rose and Austen Kroll, this girls’ night out blends celebrity, cocktails, and a cause, benefiting fertility preservation for kids with rare cancers. VIP 10-top tables include premium seating, an exclusive cocktail hour, swag bags, a private meet & greet with Shep and Austen, and more. Tables are limited! General Admission tickets are also available for an unforgettable night of entertainment, cocktails, and fun.
NOVEMBER 5: “Leadership Rising: Networking Breakfast,” 8-9:30 a.m., at Queens University of Charlotte, 1900 Selwyn Ave. Join Queens University of Charlotte for the inaugural Leadership Rising Breakfast, launching a year-long celebration of women’s leadership in conjunction with the Queens University Charlotte BusinessWoman of the Year’s 40th anniversary. This special morning event will feature a fireside chat with Joan Zimmerman, Queens alumna and the first-ever Charlotte BusinessWoman of the Year recipient (1986). $75.
➡️ List your event on the Ledger events board.
In brief:
Braxton Winston to head labor union: Former Charlotte City Council member Braxton Winston was elected president of the North Carolina State AFL-CIO last week, which is the largest federation of labor unions in North Carolina. Winston said: “Every worker deserves dignity, security, and power. Every worker deserves a union! … We are no longer waiting for change. We are the change. We are the revival!” (AFL-CIO)
Rock-painting investigated: Officials at Ardrey Kell High are investigating what they are calling vandalism of the school’s spirit rock with messages referencing slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk. They say painting the rock violated conduct rules and that law enforcement was called. (WCNC)
Asian festival temporarily shut by fire marshal: Panda Fest, an Asian culture and food festival in Ballantyne this weekend in Charlotte, was shut down early Friday by the fire marshal over outdoor cooking code violations but reopened as scheduled on Saturday after organizers resolved the issue. (WSOC)
Film/TV incentives: North Carolina awarded $2.5M for “Top Chef” to film in Charlotte and $15M for MrBeast’s “Beast Games,” highlighting the state’s use of film incentives to draw major productions. (Axios Charlotte)
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Vaccine fanatics who are desperate to get yet another covid shot should be aware that the CDC database for tracking vaccine injuries now has nearly 20,000 deaths associated with them in the four and a half years they have been available. That is ten times the deaths reported for all ALL vaccines in the US since 1990.
It seems that story would be more newsworthy than how to talk your way into getting another shot.
Thank you for your coverage of Iryna's funeral and for being there for all of us who have followed her story and have grieved with her family. Tragic to have a young life taken when she had sought refuge from the violence in her country here in our city.