The Hudyka's, Victoria's family, were well-off in Poland, owning a farm with a stable and horses near the city of Kraków in the early 1900s. They hired a "stable boy" to help take care of their horses, Michael Walkowicz.
Michael and Victoria fell in love, though Victoria's family did not approve. They had a dramatic height difference. Victoria was over 6' tall while Michael was around 5'3'' or 5'4''. Despite these differences, they became a couple and had two children together in Poland before fleeing.
After losing a lot of men in World War I, the Russian army began drafting men from Poland. Michael, who was 17 in Poland, did not want to serve, so he fled to the United States with Victoria and their children in 1918.
The family traveled in the cheapest seats on the bottom of the boat, which is also known as the "steerage." The space was very tight and the food was limited, which posed a challenge for their young family.
After a while, their boat arrived at Ellis Island in New York City. They then traveled to Holyoke, MA to stay with some relatives.