‘He thought he was ready’: N.B. father says his son was killed fighting in Ukraine

A New Brunswick family is asking for Ottawa's assistance in bringing their son's body back to Canada after he died fighting in Ukraine. Sarah Plowman has more.

A New Brunswick father says his son died in a drone attack while fighting on the front lines in Ukraine last week.

Marc Mazerolle of Saint-Simon, N.B., says his son Patrick, 24, went to Ukraine in February after initially telling his family he was going to England for vacation. Instead, he went to Poland and onto Ukraine to join the fight.

“He felt he needed to be there to help them out. They were in deep need,” he said. “He decided that was his mission to go there.”

“I’m not sure he knew what he was getting involved with. He thought he was ready,” Marc added.

Patrick was a student of history, his father said. Just before the COVID-19 pandemic, he had planned to join the Canadian Armed Forces, but left just before his basic training was set to finish.

Marc said last spoke to his son May 27 before he headed to the front lines. He told his family he wouldn’t be able to communicate for a while.

“He said, ‘As soon I’m out of there dad … I’ll make it back … make it back … I’ll make you proud,’” Marc said.

On Sept. 3, Marc said another soldier reached out to tell him Patrick had died in a drone strike.

“It was a direct hit,” he said.

Overwhelmed with grief and stories about his son, who was passionate about sports, the outdoors and history, Marc’s focus is now on bringing his son’s body home.

“I want him back. We’re past asking questions of why. I just want my son back here so we can bury him properly,” he said, noting his son was killed in Ukraine’s “Kilometre Zero,” located in Kyiv’s Independence Square. He describes it as a difficult place to go retrieve bodies, unless there’s a ceasefire or one side advances.

Marc said his family has received strong support from his community in the Acadian Peninsula, but also from across the country, including strangers.

“I’m getting messages from all over,” he said. “From B.C. from Newfoundland.”

But the father believes the government must provide more support, noting that no provincial or federal politicians have reached out and that he reached out to Global Affairs Canada (GAC) himself. Marc said GAC is working with the Ukrainian embassy to try to get confirmation.

“We sacrificed our kid for that war which is not even our war,” he said. “But we feel, not helpless, but we feel left on our own. And we’re totally left on our own.”

GAC said it’s aware of unconfirmed reports that a Canadian citizen may have recently died in Ukraine.

“Due to privacy considerations, no further information can be disclosed,” said spokesperson Thida Ith.

GAC does not keep a registry of Canadians who are serving in volunteer units in Ukraine or how many have been killed or injured in conflict.

Since the war began in February 2022, GAC said it’s aware of 25 Canadians who have died in Ukraine. This figure includes all causes of death.

CTV News reached out to Ukraine’s ministry of defence for an interview and to ask what efforts are being made to retrieve Mazerolle’s body, but did not hear back before publication.