Canadian volunteer medic has died in Ukraine, family says

A 28-year-old Canadian volunteer as a doctor during the Russian invasion of Ukraine has died, according to his father.

Grygorii Tsekhmistrenko is from Ukraine, but a Canadian citizen. He lived in Kinistino, Sask., for a year with his parents before moving to Port Alice, B.C., on Vancouver Island, his father, Vitalii Tsekhmistrenko, told CBC News from Kyiv.

“He wanted to build a house on the water after the war,” his father said.

Tsekhmistrenko, known as Greg to friends, died sometime between the night of January 14 and the early hours of January 15 in Bakhmut, according to volunteer soldiers who spent time with Tsekhmistrenko during the war.

The soldier said he was now on his way to Kyiv for Tsekhmistrenko’s funeral.

When asked to confirm Tsekhmistrenko’s death, Global Affairs Canada said it could not provide any information “due to security considerations.”

Vitalii Tsekhmistrenko said he and his wife had traveled to Kyiv from Canada to spend Christmas with their son. Everyone is together for the holidays.

Tsekhmistrenko’s father said he came to Ukraine in January 2022 as signs of war began to appear in the news. When Russia invaded Ukraine, he was a volunteer doctor.

An Instagram post from 2022 shows Tsekhmistrenko fundraising for medical supplies.

Volunteer doctor ‘full of life’

Through tears, Lusa Tshibangu told CBC News that she and Tsekhmistrenko celebrate their friendship anniversary every year on December 3. The two met at a church camp in Indiana in 2013, but became really close in 2018, she said.

“We started with candles and then cupcakes,” she said from her home in Fort Worth, Texas. “But this year, because of the war…” he trailed off.

The two were unable to celebrate, but they said Tsekhmistrenko never forgot. “He kept reminding me every day before, saying, ‘Don’t forget your friends.’ “

He said that Tsekhmistrenko had told him that he was thinking of helping Ukraine’s efforts against Russia in the summer of 2021 and that he was trying to talk to him.

“This is his country, so he knew from the beginning – no matter what happens – he will go and fight for Ukraine.”

After he left, she said he was texting her all the time.

“He would always send me a voice note to make sure I knew he was okay.”

Tshibangu said a friend shared his Instagram post on Sunday with the news that Tsekhmistrenko had died.

“I sent a text earlier, just hoping it would work,” he said, noting that he had been waiting for a second check mark to appear on the WhatsApp text to show that Tsekhmistrenko had read the message.

“But not yet.”

Tshibangu said Tsekhmistrenko was “full of life,” and that he enjoyed traveling and learning about new cultures.

He said he bought a decal for his car. “It’s Calvin & Hobbes dancing and there’s a quote: Dance, even if you have to warn people to get out of the way.”

He said he was happy that he would have memories with him wherever he went.