Simcoe County doctor and soldier at Ukraine border aiding fleeing families
A family doctor from Orillia and a soldier from Bradford joined thousands of volunteers trying to save lives at the Ukrainian/Poland border.
Both men felt compelled to help the refugees desperate to flee their homes amid the Russian invasion.
Brodie Fountain describes seeing young families, women and children targeted by human traffickers posing as rescuers at the border.
"They can walk out with a sign and say, 'Yeah, I'll take you to Germany. I'll take you to Spain, or wherever, and people pile up in the cars because they're fleeing for their lives, and they're gone," the Bradford soldier says, adding the victims are preyed upon after they finally make their way to what should be safety.
"It's terrible. It's disgusting. It's horrible."
Fountain is part of a group of volunteers made up of mostly military veterans.
He has been in Ukraine and Poland for two weeks delivering supplies to people forced to leave their homes and run for safety. He says some are stranded at the humanitarian aid centre.
"They're dealing with the issues of the red tape to get them through."
Meanwhile, Dr. Jeff Pitcher has been treating mainly women and children steps from the border crossing, most suffering hypothermia, stomach flu and infections from gunshot wounds.
Pitcher, a family and emergency physician in Orillia and Muskoka, is no stranger to providing aid in disaster zones, having volunteered with the Salvation Army after Canadian floods, Hurricane Katrina and New York City after 9/11.
Pitcher says once they reach the border, most people break down in tears at the thought of finally being safe.
"Today, there was a lady who came from Mariupol. Her family died from one of the shellings. She escaped," he says.
The local doctor says he went to help simply because he could.
"I know I have the skills that can help, and I was hoping I could help these people that have been struggling through this escape that they've done."
Both Pitcher and Fountain will return to Simcoe Muskoka this weekend, but Fountain says he plans to head back to Ukraine and calls on the Canadian government to do more for those with nowhere to go.
He organized a GoFundMe campaign hoping others would help him help Ukraine.
"These great people didn't ask for this, and they need our help to get through it," he states.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Half of Canadians have negative opinion of latest Liberal budget: poll
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
Twins from Toronto were Canada's top two female finishers at this year's Boston Marathon
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Senate expenses climbed to $7.2 million in 2023, up nearly 30%
Senators in Canada claimed $7.2 million in expenses in 2023, a nearly 30 per cent increase over the previous year.
NASA hears from Voyager 1, the most distant spacecraft from Earth, after months of quiet
NASA has finally heard back from Voyager 1 again in a way that makes sense. The most distant spacecraft from Earth hadn't sent home any understandable data since last November.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Train derailed in Sarnia after colliding with a truck
Police are investigating after a transport truck collided with a train in Sarnia.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.