U.S. Marine Dies Fighting For Ukraine, Leaves Behind Wife And Baby Boy
A Marine veteran who volunteered to fight with Ukraine against Russia has died while defending the country.
Twenty-two-year-old veteran Willy Joseph Cancel worked part-time for a private military contracting company while also working full-time as a corrections officer. When war broke out in Ukraine, the company asked for contractors to answer the call for help and Cancel agreed. The marine flew to Poland on March 12 before entering Ukraine.
“My husband did die in Ukraine,” Cancel’s wife, Brittany, said. “He went there wanting to help people, he had always felt that that was his main mission in life.”
Cancel said her husband “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.”
Cancel leaves behind his wife and his seven-month-old son.
“My husband was very brave and a hero,” Cancel said. “I did not expect to be a widow at 23 years old or for our son to be without a father. All I want is for him to come home, and to give him the proper burial he deserves.”
President Joe Biden is pushing Congress for an additional $33 billion in aid to help Ukraine. The money would go toward “security, economic, and humanitarian aid,” with Biden describing the bill as necessary “to support Ukraine in this fight for freedom.”