Minnesota Veteran To Travel To Poland To Help Families Fleeing Ukraine
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - A Minnesota father is heading to Poland to help families fleeing Ukraine. Brady Atherton served in the National Guard and says he felt called to go.
He's leaving his son and bride-to-be for eight weeks to help with humanitarian aid with a group of other veterans.
Atherton is new to being a dad. His son Joey is 7 months old. The bond they share is part of the reason he's leaving to help Ukrainians.
"I heard screams of children that kind of haunted my dreams for a couple nights and kind of told me to answer that call," Atherton said.
Atherton served with the Army National Guard for six years. That experience helped inform his decision to travel to Poland. There he'll join a private organized group of veterans. Some will help fight, some will train, others will provide humanitarian aid.
"My primary goal will be that of an 88 Mike, which is a truck driver. I'll be driving soldiers into Ukraine and I will be bringing civilians back and our team will provide security in that vehicle," Atherton said.
He's volunteering, taking an unpaid leave from work, and bought his own ticket to go. He knows what he's leaving at home, but felt compelled to join the mission.
"There's a lot of mental preparation, spiritual preparation for where I'm walking into," Atherton said.
Atherton has the support of his fiancé Sierra. Their wedding date is a few weeks after he gets home.
"I understand why he wants to go and why he wants to and help those people there. I feel really comfortable and at peace with him going," Sierra Ohm said.
Atherton says he knows what he's doing can make a difference.
"It will put my heart at rest. It will fill my glass, but more importantly these people need it, that's just what it comes down to," Atherton said.
