According to his family, the former US Marine was killed in Ukraine while fighting alongside Ukrainian forces. Willy Joseph Cancel, 22, was died on Monday, according to his mother Rebecca Cabrera.
Cabrera claims he worked for a private military contracting firm that deployed him to Ukraine.
It’s the first time a US citizen has died in a conflict with Ukrainian military.
“He wanted to go over because he believed in what Ukraine was fighting for, and he wanted to be a part of it to contain it there so it didn’t come here, and that maybe our American soldiers wouldn’t have to be involved in it,” she explained.
Thousands joined up and traveled to Ukraine via Poland and other neighboring nations.
According to a study by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC, many people were swiftly put into the defense of Kyiv.
Cabrera claims her son’s body has yet to be discovered.
“They haven’t found his body,” she said. “They are trying, the men that were with him, but it was either grab his body or get killed, but we would love for him to come back to us.”
Her son travelled to Poland on March 12 and entered Ukraine shortly thereafter, she added.
He was fighting alongside men from various countries, according to her.
His widow, Brittany Cancel, told Fox News that her husband leaves a little boy behind and that she considers him a hero.
Brittany Cancel stated, “My husband did die in Ukraine.” “He went there wanting to help people, he had always felt that that was his main mission in life.”
Her spouse volunteered to travel to Ukraine and aspired to be a police officer or fireman, she claimed.
She told Fox, “He had dreams and aspirations of being a police officer or joining FDNY.” “Naturally, when he found out about what was happening in Ukraine he was eager to volunteer.”
The reports have not been confirmed by the US government.
The State Department was aware of the claims and was “closely monitoring the situation,” according to a State Department official.
The official stated, “due to privacy considerations, we have no further comment. We once again reiterate US citizens should not travel to Ukraine due to the active armed conflict and the singling out of US citizens in Ukraine by Russian government security officials, and that US citizens in Ukraine should depart immediately if it is safe to do so using any commercial or other privately available ground transportation options.”
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SOURCE: NEWS AGENCIES
