Kadrushe Kolshi

Our Story

UNDER SIEGE: A NURSE’S STORY OF FLEEING THE KOSOVO WAR AND FINDING HOPE IN CANADA

Kadrushe Kolshi is a mother, grandmother, and continuing care nurse in Victoria, B.C. Caring for the elderly and the sick is her passion; her way of giving back to her family and community. While she has many memories of her career, she particularly remembers one day that altered the course of her life forever.

On April 4, 1999, as shelling began in her hometown of Baice, Kolshi and her extended family boarded a train and headed south toward an unknown destination in search of safety. “The scenes reminded me of the Second World War stories. People were crowded like cattle, the train was stopped many times, and Serbian forces stripped people of their money and jewelry,” Kolshi says.

The memory still brings deep emotion. The sadness affects her today as she describes it as “one of the worst days of my life.” Kolshi and her children were in separate vehicles as they fled, and every mother’s worst nightmare soon became a reality. “My kids went missing in a war zone; I didn’t know if they were dead or alive,” she says. Serbian police had separated Kadrushe from her two sons, then aged 15 and 13. After spending five days with family members in a nearby town, they received news that the children might be at the Stankovec refugee camp in Macedonia.

Exhausted, she recalls arriving at the camp, where she found a glimmer of hope upon seeing a Red Cross tent among 60,000 other refugees who had crossed the border. Using her medical experience, Kolshi was soon aiding the sick and injured who had also fled for their lives. The war in Kosovo was devastating over 10,000 people were killed and countless homes were destroyed. “Our family home was levelled to the ground,” Kolshi says.

More than half of Kosovo’s population was forced to seek safety in neighboring countries like Albania and Macedonia, creating a massive humanitarian crisis for nations already facing their own economic struggles. Despite her children still missing, Kolshi jumped in to help, assisting international aid organizations such as the International Rescue Committee (IRC).

She describes the harsh conditions at the camp, from the biting weather to a severe shortage of tents. Despite the uncertainty of her family’s future, Kadrushe continued to move forward, keeping herself busy by assisting children and families traumatized by the war. The conditions continued to deteriorate during Kolshi’s time there. “It was overcrowded. There was a lack of food, water, and shelter, yet Kadrushe didn't stop to question her own tragic circumstances and continued to provide care for those in need,” wrote Kate Bruck, a Medical Coordinator for the IRC, in a letter of commendation.

Memories...

As the crowds at the camp grew, the UNHCR issued a global call for help. Canada responded. Under the leadership of then-Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, Canada issued a 72-hour notice to the military to prepare to receive over 5,000 refugees. The Royal Canadian Air Force would airlift the refugees to military bases in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Ontario, with the Canadian Red Cross leading the support efforts.

This decision would shape Kolshi’s life forever. She and her husband decided to move to Canada for their safety. However, before they left, a miracle occurred. After six weeks of searching, Kadrushe’s sons were found after they were recognized in a news article. The boys had been trapped in Kosovo, but two brave taxi drivers risked their lives returning to the war zone and bringing them to the camp. "We cried and cried," Kolshi recalls the moment they were reunited.

On May 15, 1999, the family landed in Halifax at CFB Windsor Park. Kolshi did not wait to begin her new life; she immediately began volunteering alongside Canadian doctors and nurses at the base, which was temporarily housing thousands of refugees. Remarkably, she provided this care despite speaking no English at the time.

By July 17, 1999, Kadrushe and her family moved to Victoria, B.C., sponsored by a cousin and the Oak Bay United Church. Finding their new apartment fully furnished and the fridge stocked with food was an overwhelming experience after losing everything. Since then, she has dedicated herself to giving back. She has worked as a nurse and volunteered with numerous organizations, including the Salvation Army and community centres like The Upper Room soup kitchen.

Today, Kadrushe lives a peaceful life in Victoria. Her husband is retired and enjoys landscaping, and they have two grandchildren. Her son, Genci, is an entrepreneur who inherited his mother’s passion for community work. He volunteers with a local youth soccer team, mentoring young athletes to build confidence and discipline, and helping many secure scholarships to further their careers. Her other son, Granit, is also an entrepreneur and worked as a model in Hong Kong for 11 years.

Written by Arta Rexhepi & Roni Krasniqi