Joins Private Military Contractor, Former US Marine Dies In Battle In Ukraine

Illustrations of the International Legion of Ukraine. (Wikimedia Commons / Pavliuk Shepetska)

JAKARTA - Willy Joseph Cancel, an American citizen, was killed in battle with Ukrainian troops on Monday, his family confirmed.

The 22-year-old man works for a private military contractor company. The company sent him to Ukraine and he got paid for fighting there, his mother Rebecc Cabrera told CNN as quoted April 29.

Cancel, a former US Marine, his mother said, signed up to work for a private military contractor company on top of a full-time job as a corrections officer in Tennessee just before the war in Ukraine broke out in late February, Cabrera said.

When the war started, the company, according to Cabrera, was looking for contractors to fight in Ukraine and Cancel agreed to leave, Cabrera said.

"He wanted to leave because he believed in what Ukraine stood for. And he wanted to be a part of that to keep him there, so it doesn't come here, and maybe our American soldiers don't need to be involved in it," Cabrera said in a telephone interview.

Cancel flew to Poland on March 12 and crossed to Ukraine between March 12 and 13, Cabrera continued. According to him, Cancel's combat group came from different countries.

Cabrera was told by those who informed him of his son's death that his body had not been found.

"They haven't found his body yet. They tried, the people who were with him, but it either took his body or was killed, but we would be happy if he came back to us."

Cabrera revealed that Cancel "wanted" to do military contract work.

"It was something he believed in in his heart, it was the right thing. He was the kind of guy who always stepped in when everyone was backing down, and there were a lot of guys like that with him," Cabrera said.

Illustration of soldiers of the international legion in Ukraine. (Wikimedia Commons/Паўлюк апецька)

Meanwhile, a State Department official said they were aware of these reports and were monitoring the situation closely.

"Due to privacy considerations, we have no further comment," the official said.

"We reiterate once again that US citizens should not travel to Ukraine due to an active armed conflict. US citizens in Ukraine should leave immediately if it is safe to do so, using other commercial or private ground transportation options."

Cancel leaves behind a 7-month-old baby and a wife, Cabrera said. Cancel lived in Tennessee before leaving for Ukraine, and is from Orange County, New York, said Devin Tietze Jr., Cancel's brother-in-law. Cabrera said Cancel "always put everyone above himself."

"He's just a very thoughtful person. He always puts everyone above himself even when the situation is very stressful," Cabrera said of his son.

"He always makes everyone laugh and calm. He is a person who stands up when others back off," he continued.

Meanwhile, Tietze said Cancel is "the type to fight for what is right regardless of the outcome," when asked why Cancel decided to join the fight in Ukraine.

"He believes with all his heart this shouldn't have happened and he wants to go help the people in Ukraine," Tietze said in a telephone interview.

It is known that the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense established a special unit, the International Legion, for foreign fighters who wish to join the fight against Russia.

More than 20,000 volunteers and veterans from 52 countries have expressed their desire to join the fighting starting March 7, according to Brigadier General. General Kyrylo Budanov, commander of the Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate, will run the legion.