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Ukraine Trip —October, 2022
Ukraine Trip —October, 2022
When I was on the U.S. Bobsled teams in the 1980's I became good friends of one of the Luge coaches, Dmitry Feld, who happened to be Ukranian. When this horrible unjustified war broke out, I was outraged as well as very saddened. I noticed all the Ukranian refugees leaving their bombed out homes with only the clothes on their backs and their beloved pets. The news media made it clear that there was a shortage of veterinary care. I asked Dmitry what I could do to help. After sending him a check for animal care, he surprisingly asked me if I was willing to go to Ukraine and provide veterinary care. I immediately felt a calling to do so. I have no better explanation than that. He had many contacts in Kiev, and the next thing I had an airline ticket booked. I paid for my own transportation ( airlines, train, bus, etc.) but friends and anonymous donors contributed for the $4,000 plus in medical and surgical supplies that I took with me.
I left on October 18 and came home on October 31. It was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life and far exceeded my expectations. I performed surgery nine straight days in a row (8-11 a day) under very trying conditions (electricity failure, no gas anesthesia, poor surgical lights, language barrier etc.). But it is amazing what one can accomplish amidst adversity. This is where all my sports training proved invaluable. I performed 75 surgeries all successfully. But again, this is not about me. The people of Ukraine were the kindest, most gentle people I have encountered. And they were SO appreciative. They kept bringing me food and vodka. I was truly in a war torn country and saw first hand the destruction and devastation as well as the multiple gravesites. But their resilience and determination was as impressive as their kindness.
In closing I would just like to say that these wonderful people are unjustly the victims of this cruel evil invasion, and the U.S. should never waver in their support for them. In my view we and the rest of the Western world should even do more. I will forever be grateful for the kindness and friendships of my Ukranian experience.
PHOTOS of ukraine - October, 2022
PHOTOS of ukraine - October, 2022
John and Dmitry leaving from the Saranac International airport for Urkraine and each carrying a drone.
Train in Poland ready to make the 10 hour trip to Kyiv.
Train station in Kyiv.
Head of the Red Cross with John in front of the veterinary clinic.
Apartment building near the clinic where John and Dmitry stayed on the 4th floor.
Veterinary Clinic where John worked.
John at work.
John with the 2 technicians that worked with him.
John operating with a light that wasn't exactly the quality for he had at his practice.
Electricity out - now John is operating with light from an iphone.
One of John's military patients.
Another patient.
Another military dog.
Military dogs and handler and clinic staff.
A former luge man paralyzed from the waist down hosted John and Dmetry to a feast. John tasted his first Borscht.
A former dance studio across from the clinic where, 4 months before John arrived, was used as a torture chamber by the Russians.
Dmitry and John with a military person who gave John his patch. John has the patch in his left hand.
The cook was so excited that John was helping Ukraine's pets that she had to come out and give him a hug.
Kids playing like normal kids right next to ....
A bombed out building (next to the playground).
Another destroyed building.
John met the owner of this house. The Russians just poured gasoline all around her house and lit it for no reason.
Nobody probably survived in this automobile with hundreds of machine gun bullets.
Piles of destroyed vehicles.
John next to a destroyed captured tank.
Brand new cemetery.
New gravesite with picture of soldier holding his dog.
The cemetery with all new graves is massive.
Picture of bridge between Irpin and Kyiv shown on TV with Richard Engel. The Ukrainians blew up the bridge to keep the Russian army from coming into Kyiv
Eastern Orthodox Cathedral
Inside the cathedral.
Soldier in cathedral before leaving to go to war.
Soldiers from the country of Georgia. They despise the Russians and are there to help the Ukrainians.
Georgian soldiers thanking Dmitry and John for the help that USA provides Ukraine.
Architecture in Kyiv
More architecture in Kyiv.
Tour guide with John claims that Kyiv is better that Paris because Kyiv's architecture is more colorful and beautiful.
Independence Square (or in Ukrainian Maidan or Maidan Nezalezhnosti) where the student uprising and revolution took place in 2014. The Ukrainians kicked out the corrupt leader (a Putin puppet), but not he before took a billion dollars of Ukraine's money.
Dmitry and John in another part of Independence Square.
More of Independence Square where pictures of recently deceased soldiers are displayed. Ukrainians are very fond of their pets and many soldiers have their picture taken with their pet.
Another part of the area called Independence Square.
Kyiv subway station with chandeliers
Dmitry's childhood apartment.
John at drone school.
Soldier releasing a training surveillance drone so John could fly it.
John's last day.
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