Fitchburg man’s daughter, baby grandson escape Ukraine

FITCHBURG — A Fitchburg man’s daughter and toddler grandson deserted correct departing procedure and escaped the borders of a war-ravaged Ukraine in a 7-mile journey on foot.

William Hubbard said on Sunday evening that he has reunited with his 19-12 months-aged daughter Aislinn Hubbard and 9-month-outdated grandson Seraphim, along with Aislinn’s Ukrainian boyfriend, in Slovakia.

The few were being pressured to hike with the infant over mountain ridges, throughout canyons and by way of a forest prior to reaching the Slovakia–Ukraine border, according to William Hubbard.

“We’re protected,” he stated from a lodge in Kosice, Slovakia. “We’re in the European Union and we’re free of charge.”

Aislinn Hubbard experienced moved to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, several several years in the past to analyze ballet. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, she became expecting with Seraphim. William Hubbard, who is a practising foot and ankle surgeon in Fitchburg, mentioned because of to COVID-19, his daughter elected to give delivery at house as opposed to at a hospital. As a result, her son lacked a delivery certification or any other figuring out documentation.

Prior to the Russian invasion, William Hubbard had flown to Ukraine, exactly where he tried to protected a qualified DNA examination to verify Seraphim’s citizenship. On his way back to Massachusetts, tensions among Ukraine and Russia boiled over. William Hubbard made a decision to quickly return again into the heart of the war zone in an energy to get his daughter and grandson out of the country.

On his vacation again to Ukraine, he made stops in Istanbul, Turkey, as effectively as Warsaw and Krakow, Poland, prior to he walked throughout the border into the war-torn nation. William Hubbard then met his daughter at her apartment to escort her and Seraphim out of Ukraine.

“That was a journey from hell just obtaining to their condominium,” William Hubbard said. “Once I’m at her condominium, the complete making is shaking, the windows are rattling, there is artillery going off in the qualifications.”

William Hubbard, his daughter and grandson, together with his daughter’s four cats, established out on the two-day excursion to the border concerning Ukraine and Slovakia. There they awaited formal documentation and governmental acceptance from the U.S. and Ukraine to cross to protection.

William Hubbard said that about 10 days in the past, the three of them were being stifled by Ukrainian authorities who informed them they could not cross the border with Seraphim even though they had birth images and procured a DNA examination proving his citizenship. The a few of them had been then taken into custody below suspicion of youngster trafficking and placed in a army detention camp.

“They really did not have any authorized explanation to keep us,” William Hubbard said. “I really don’t even know how they could power us into that camp and notify my daughter that she can’t leave, but they are the ones with the guns, so we did not have a decision.”

After a 7 days, the Hubbard household was granted permission to leave the camp and go to a resort. With no very clear path to exit the country, they made a plan to bypass right process and to cross the Ukrainian border into Slovakia.

“There was no option,” William Hubbard explained. “Stay in the Ukraine and wait around for a miracle, continue to be in the Ukraine and hold out for the U.S. State Section to perform another miracle, or just take the bull by the horns and run for the border.”

Aislinn Hubbard and her boyfriend, who had joined them right after listening to about their trouble at the border, carried out two demo operates of the trek to Slovakia with out Seraphim. On Saturday, the couple gathered up the infant and all three of them built the journey.

Once William Hubbard determined they experienced securely crossed the border, he went to the Ukrainian border crossing in which he was ultimately granted permission to depart the country. The four of them then achieved up in Slovakia, bringing the harrowing journey to an close.

William Hubbard reported he plans to fly again dwelling to Fitchburg, while Aislinn Hubbard, her boyfriend and Seraphim will stay in Europe.

Traveling by way of the war-ravaged nation was among the most troubling encounters William Hubbard claimed he has at any time endured. He expressed sorrow for those even now struggling inside of the country’s borders.

“Seeing all these injured persons,” William Hubbard reported. “Seeing all these women of all ages with their smaller young children and observing the finish desperation on their faces.

“I’m seriously on the lookout ahead to likely home,” he extra. “To be honest, it’s probably likely to just take me months to digest almost everything and to truly course of action this.”

A GoFundMe account has been set up to assistance aid the Hubbard relatives at https://little bit.ly/3CT5WmC.