ST. CLAIR SHORES, Mich. – A man from St. Clair Shores is in the midst of a 4,900-mile journey to get equipment, like body armor, into Ukraine.
Tony Pate is in Poland, making his way closer to the border, where he’s hoping to link up with family and get inside the country. There are no direct flights into the warzone.
Update: St. Clair Shores man delivers medical supplies to warzone in Ukraine: ‘Everyone’s incredibly strong’
“My bags are just this enormous mound, there’s three enormous carts full of medical supplies,” Tony Pate said.
His mission is to escort 11 suitcases packed with medical supplies to a medical center in Ukraine.
“Every bag that came out of that conveyor, it was a celebration,” Pate said.
His first step was to get on a Delta flight Sunday in Detroit. Once the airline saw what Pate was doing, they too, wanted to help by reducing his fare and putting him in first class.
Pate’s wife, Lumila is from Ukraine. Her family is in the country and taking cover with the threat of Russian bombs falling.
Just days ago, the couple put a call out on their Facebook page asking if anyone wanted to donate badly-needed items. Tony Pate offered to get those items into Ukraine.
People from all over Metro Detroit stopped by the couple’s St. Clair Shores home with medicine, baby food, and cash. Tony Pate purchased body armor to help protect the people meeting him who will be driving the supplies with him into the country.
Tony Pate has a military and emergency response background and said he is uniquely suited for the job.
Original report: St. Clair Shores family turns garage into donation hub to collect supplies for Ukraine