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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
World
Connor Teale & Michelle Cullen

Man who left family for Ukrainian refugee wants to help on frontline of war-torn country

A dad who hit the headlines after leaving his partner and the mother of his children for a Ukrainian refugee has said he now wants to travel to the war-torn country to help people on the frontline.

Tony Garnett says he has been deeply affected by the war and claims he has seen "a lot more of the reality of what is going on" in Ukraine.

The 29-year-old left his partner Lorna, 28, for Sofiia Karkadym, 22, just ten days after she moved in with them as part of the government's refugee rehoming scheme.

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Tony and Sofiia, who fled the horrors of her hometown Lviv at the start of the invasion, have now made a new life together.

The 39-year-old said he plans to raise over €10,000 for Ukraine before travelling to the country to dish out the funds himself.

Speaking to Yorkshire Live on Ukrainian Independence Day, Tony said: "It's the right thing to do. People are donating to Ukraine, but they are not seeing where this money is going to.

"I want to raise money for people who look after orphans and all those that have been wounded. I want to travel over there myself and document who I am helping. Sofiia will be going with me.

"I have seen the full scale of things since meeting Sofiia, and I think people need this help. It is not a game. I need to use my influence now to do the right thing."

The dad-of-two is planning to raise the money by participating in a skydive and has launched a Go Fund Me page. An exact date for the fundraiser has not been confirmed, but Tony hopes to complete it as soon as possible.

Tony also wants to document his journey to Ukraine on Instagram and YouTube.

Bradford dad-of-two Tony, 29, wants to travel to Ukraine and help people in the war-torn country (Yorkshire Live)

He said: "The longer (the war) goes on for then there's going to be more deaths - and some could be stopped with this help," he said. "I could save hundreds of lives. Even if I save the life of one person then that is worth it for me."

In July, the 39-year-old confirmed he and Sofiia had welcomed two more refugees into their Bradford home. Speaking to Yorkshire Live at the time, he called on people to do more to help Ukraine. "People are losing their lives, their jobs and careers," he said. "Families are being split up. No-one seems to give a f***.

"The only time they will care is if it (war) comes to England. If they were in Sofiia's place, then they might understand it's not a joke. People need our help, and no one seems to want to give it. This is much bigger than me and Sofiia."

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