A soldier said the Isuzu Trooper he had donated had been used to rescue seven wounded soldiers from the southern frontline the previous day.
“It’s good to know the trip was worth it and we’re actually helping. You know, everyone can do their bit to help even if it’s minor in the big scheme of things,” said Goodrick.
He received the call in mid-October and believes the vehicle is still in use evacuating soldiers from the frontline.
The 57-year-old from Huntsbury crowd-funded about $15,000 in aid for Ukraine, which he used to purchase the Isuzu and a Mitsubishi Challenger for casualty evacuations.
The vehicles were filled with medical equipment.
The war-torn country has been fighting off the Russian invasion for nearly four years, and Goodrick said people are now in survival mode.
“They’re doing everything they can to protect their way of life and their democracy.”
During the nine-day trip, he travelled from western to southern Ukraine to deliver the Isuzu Trooper to Dnipro, before heading to Zaporizhzhia to deliver an ambulance.
Zaporizhzhia, a city of 710,000 only 40km from the frontline, is claimed by Russia as its territory but remains under Ukrainian control.
He returned to Ukraine in September on a shorter trip, delivering a minibus and a campervan to the western city of Lviv on behalf of Ukraine Mission, before heading back to the UK to spend time with his English father.
He returned to Christchurch in late October.
Goodrick said his strongest impression was the contrast between the relatively normal rhythms of daily life and the constant reminders of war.
He had been swimming in the Dnieper River and later sat down for a meal at a Zaporizhzhia restaurant when he heard the distant boom of a missile strike.
“That’s just the bizarre nature of life in Ukraine,” he said.
Across the country, Goodrick saw large memorial sites marked with plaques, photos and Ukrainian flags honouring the soldiers and civilians who have died during the conflict.
“In every town and city you can see the toll of the war,” he said.
“In Dnipro we stayed in a pretty standard hotel but then you’re told the windows have been replaced three times because they were blown out from bombings at the nearby train station.”
The vehicles Goodrick helped deliver were packed with practical medical supplies needed by injured soldiers and civilians – stretchers, walkers, wheelchairs, crutches and monitors.
In Zaporizhzhia, he was humbled, and slightly embarrassed, to be thanked in a small recognition ceremony by an aid group working on the frontline.
“Compared to what these people do every day, my contribution was tiny, but I guess it just reflects how grateful Ukrainians are for any foreign support.”
He said it felt good to contribute even on a “micro-level”.
Goodrick’s wife and his wider family are glad to have him home.
“There’s valid concerns about safety and that so they're all pretty pleased I'm back now.”
- He is still raising funds to donate to Ukraine Mission at https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/average-kiwi-plans-to-help-save-lives-in...
