Ontario man went to Ukrainian border to help rescue a child — 10 days later, he's still there

Images of an orphaned girl somewhere in Hungary were the first flickers of hope Wyatt Raitt had felt in days.

But the 22-year-old said he soon learned they didn't show Arila, the seven-year-old he'd travelled to the Polish-Ukrainian border to help rescue.

Raitt left Ancaster Ont., on March 7 in hopes of meeting with a university friend named Alek and somehow bringing his young sister to safety while her brother goes back to fight.

The pair didn't show up on the dates they had arranged to meet.

Ten days after leaving home, Raitt still hasn't heard from the siblings.

"Each day that goes by, it makes me fear the worst has happened to them," he told CBC's The Current in an interview on Thursday.

It was a cry for help that brought Raitt from the Hamilton area and out of North America for the first time.

He said Alek sent a message out on Snapchat and Discord, an instant messaging platform, saying he was heading to the border and asking if anyone could look after his sister.

Raitt responded, saying he might be able to help.

Several flights and train rides later, he was in Poland, a quote Alek used to recite ringing in his ears: Woe is he who runs from what he believes.

"Even if I'm flying blind, I'll do everything I can to help out," said Raitt.

His father, Stephen Raitt, said his first reaction to his son's plan was shock.

"It's not exactly the conversation you expect to wake up on a Friday morning with a kid who says, 'I'm going to Ukraine on Monday,'" he said.

'It's inspiring, heartbreaking'

Stephen said it became clear his son was determined to go, so his family and friends teamed up to support him, launching a GoFundMe campaign that had collected more than $10,000 as of Thursday afternoon.

They've stayed in close contact, but the father said it's still "scary" to know his child is so close to a war zone.

"He's always been very helpful, he's always been supportive of people that needed help," Stephen said. "Obviously this has taken that to another level."

Raitt has spent his time in Poland watching refugees pour out of their country and trying to help wherever he can.

The Russian invasion that began three weeks ago has triggered an immense exodus of refugees across Ukraine's western borders. It's estimated three million people have fled the country so far.

"It's inspiring, heartbreaking," said Raitt.

"I've been moved to tears a few times," he added, describing seeing mothers carrying crying children and the massive smile on the face of refugee kids when volunteers hand them a chocolate bar.

"It's really tough though, because … it's all wrapped around human suffering."

While waiting for news of Alek and Arila, Raitt has been building up a network of contacts on both sides of the border to keep an eye out and share any clues as to where they might be.

Before he left Canada, he'd been working a series of jobs, including learning to be a cook at a Hamilton-area restaurant. Now he's using those skills to sling pizzas using an oven brought to the border by volunteers.

Raitt recalled whipping together a baked potato pastry that "went like wildfire," clearing out a hotel pan in five minutes.

It's no surprise, he said, given some people have walked more than 35 hours to escape.

But there's still no sign of the people he travelled so far to meet.

"At this point I think we're kind of hoping he's made other arrangements for his sister, and that's she's safe and he's safe, but we don't have any idea," said his father Stephen.

A willingness to help

It's not clear when Wyatt will return home, but his dad said they've encouraged him to stay as long as he feels he needs to.

"It's hard to imagine he's not going to come home a different person," said his dad.

Despite the devastation he's seen and the disappointment of not meeting with his friend or friend's sister, Wyatt said his time at the border has taught him there's no shortage of people who want to help others.

"In the darkest moments of the worst of humanity, fighting wars and killing each other, it shows that even still we have our brightest moments of helping and caring for each other."