War in Ukraine reunites childhood friends in Thornton, Ont.
Denys Derzhavets and Andrey Sychev met many years ago as boys in school. Neither could have known that their childhood connection would turn into a lifeline many years later.
When the Russians invaded Ukraine, Sychev texted his longtime friend asking for help.
"I text him back that was has started, and Kyiv is under bombardment," Derzhavets recalled.
Derzhavets has been living in Canada for more than two decades, and without hesitation, the Thornton man said he offered his home to his friend.
"A program opened [called] Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel," Derzhavets said. "They were able to apply and move quickly to Canada."
The Federal government introduced the Canada-Ukraine emergency travel program to support the people of Ukraine, offering Ukrainians and their family members free, extended temporary status.
The program allows them to work, study and stay in Canada for up to three years.
Sychev, his wife, their three children and their dog packed what they could into a few suitcases and left their homeland, a move Sychev said is difficult to describe.
"Because when [the] war started, all my life was changed. In fact, you feel yourself like in some bad dream."
Needing some extra mattresses, Derzhavets posted on a community page and said his phone was immediately ringing off the hook.
"Everybody is messaging, 'What can we do? What can we bring?' And people started bringing lots of different things."
Sychev said the generosity of the community was overwhelming.
"Canada peoples, who never knew about us or anything, they just give us money, gift cards, and other [things]. It's really, very good."
While life may look much different for the Sychev family, they are starting to adjust.
The children enjoy taking the school bus, and Sychev's wife started working at a local Ukrainian bakery.
"I want again, to say my very, very grateful to all Canadian people and [the] Canadian government," he said.
Sychev said above all he can't thank his childhood friend enough for taking him and his family in during a difficult time.
"We say to them, you can stay as long as required," Derzhavets said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Liberal MP says she's leaving politics over disrespectful dialogue, threats, misogyny
Liberal MP Pam Damoff says she won't run again in the next federal election, saying she has experienced misogyny, disrespectful dialogue in politics and threats to her life.
Concerns about Plexiglass prompt inspections at some Loblaws locations in Ottawa
Inspections are underway at more than one Loblaws location in Ottawa after complaints were filed about tall Plexiglass barriers.
Federal employees will be required to spend 3 days a week in the office
Starting in September, public servants in the core public administration will be required to work in the office a minimum of three days a week. The Treasury Board Secretariat says executives will need to be in the office four days per week.
OPP officer said 'someone's going to get hurt' before wrong-way Hwy. 401 crash
As multiple Durham police cruisers were chasing a robbery suspect on the wrong side of Highway 401 Monday night, an Ontario Provincial Police officer shared his concerns, telling a dispatcher, "Someone's going to get hurt."
Ont. woman who faked pregnancy to defraud doulas arrested again on similar charges
Victims of a Brantford, Ont., woman who was sentenced to house arrest earlier this year for defrauding and deceiving doulas say they’re not surprised she’s been apprehended again on similar charges.
Five human skeletons, missing hands and feet, found outside house of Nazi leader Hermann Göring
Archeologists have unearthed the skeletons of five people, missing their hands and feet, at a former Nazi military base in Poland.
Poilievre returns to House unrepentant for calling Trudeau 'wacko,' Speaker not resigning
An unrepentant Pierre Poilievre returned to the House of Commons on Wednesday to pepper the prime minister about his drug decriminalization policies after being booted the day prior for refusing to take back calling Justin Trudeau 'wacko' over his approach to the issue.
Construction begins on LGBTQ2S+ national monument in Ottawa
Shovels have hit the ground for constuction on Canada's LGBTQ2S+ national monument in Ottawa.
B.C. man awarded $5,000 in damages in first-of-it-kind intimate image case
In a first-of-its-kind case, a B.C. tribunal has ruled on a dispute involving the non-consensual sharing of intimate images, awarding damages and issuing orders that the photos be destroyed and taken offline.