Wednesday, more than 100 local Russians gathered in Bellevue to grieve their national tragedy.

Most of them don't speak English, but grief has no language barrier.

You don't need words to express sorrow.

Olga Domanina was in Russia when it happened.

"It just absolutely shocked everybody," she says. "Nobody could believe that the terrorists, they raised their hand on innocent children."

The innocent children, the terrified children.

Their fear is familiar to Russians who grew up during World War Two

Faina Shafir writes a letter to families in Beslan, telling them, when she was nine, she ran from the Nazis.

"This is why, me, who lived through that horrible time once before, I couldn't see that without tears in my eyes. I had to cry then," Shafir says through a translator.

And when she was 10-years-old, Rosa Rud also escaped Nazi gunmen.

She says in today's world, children should not experience such fear.

"I wish that never again, not in any country in the world, anything like that would never be happened," Rud says through a translator. Then in English, she adds, "Never. Never. Never. Never. It was very terrible. Very terrible. I cannot explain what I feel in my heart."

It is hard to find the words.

So they light candles, place flowers, and they send money.

Their money will help families in Beslan.

What words can't express, their thoughts, prayers and shared sorrow can.

If You'd Like To Help:

If you would like to donate money to help the families in Beslan, you'll find information here www.moscowhelp.org.