The Ukrainian family who fled before the war that stranded on the A67 near Asten on Thursday left for England on Friday morning. After all the hardships in their home country and a day-long journey, the family in Brabant had to deal with car trouble. The air conditioner pump gave out. Help was offered from various sides and gratefully the father and mother were able to continue the journey with their two children.
Police were alerted around 10 a.m. Thursday morning that a man was trying to cross the highway near the Texaco gas station, which is very dangerous. When officers arrived to speak to the man, it turned out to be a distraught Ukrainian who had fled with his wife and two children because of the war in his home country. His car broke down and was unable to continue driving.
It seemed like the whole country was stuck in traffic
When war broke out last week, the man – who works in England – immediately got into his car to take his wife and children away from Ukraine. It took them no less than three days to get to the border.
“It seemed, he said, as if the whole country was in a traffic jam,” said local police officer Jeroen van Aarle, who picked up the man at the gas pump. “After they had left Ukraine behind, they drove on for three days in a row. Until the car broke down at Asten and they came to a stop.”
Then they spent the night in their car. When the police were alerted, the man wanted to buy food and drinks at the gas station for his wife and children, aged 7 and 11.
Satisfying
Local police officer Jeroen picked up the man on the other side of the highway with his police car and drove him to his family in the De Leysing parking lot. He gave the children a teddy bear from the police and called the ANWB because of the broken car. The car was towed to a garage in Ysselsteyn in Limburg, but could not be repaired immediately. Parts had to be ordered.
The family was then offered to spend the night in a hotel in Venray. It was gratefully used. On Friday morning, the Ukrainian family was able to pick up the repaired car in Ysselsteyn and continue the journey to England.
The supplier of the necessary car parts and the garage have paid for the costs of the repair. The bill for the stay at the hotel in Venray has been paid by the municipality.
just perplexed
According to local police officer Jeroen, the family is ‘just perplexed’ because of all the help that was offered. “Because they hadn’t actually asked for anything. One of the children picked some beautiful leaves and gave them to the rescuers as a thank you.”
The whole event did not leave Jeroen untouched. “When you experience such a harrowing story, you start to wonder how you would feel if you ended up in a situation like these people from Ukraine. This really does something to you.”
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