He was set to start flight school in Ukraine when it was invaded. Now his aviation dream has brought him to Calgary
On the day before Russia invaded his home country, Vladyslav Vitske was up in the air.
The 24-year-old from Ukraine was working as a flight attendant on that February day and was just a month away from starting his training to become a pilot, something he has been dreaming about since childhood.
Vitske now finds himself halfway around the world, in Calgary, among the more than 51,000 Ukrainian refugees who have fled to Canada during the war this year.
He's in a new country, a new city, but he found the perfect host.
"I'm so fortunate because I created a post on Facebook to find a host in Canada and Jason replied to me. He's a pilot also and I thought 'wow, what a match'," Vitske told CTV News.
For nearly a month, he's been living with Jason Arthur, a pilot with STARS Air Ambulance in Calgary.
The connection couldn't be a better fit; a man who has flown helicopters for nearly two decades is now helping out a young man who wants to fly.
"I look back to how I got started (in aviation) and I had a lot of people helping me along the way and I kind of wanted to pay it forward and return the favour," said Arthur, who joined STARS in 2019 after spending time flying in the military and as a private pilot.
The flight school in Ukraine where Vitske was supposed to start his training at has been destroyed, but he sees new opportunity here in Canada. Arthur has shown him some of the aircraft and STARS hangar and Vitske was given a free flight studying guide to start learning.
"My final point is to become a pilot. I was (so) close to my dream, because my company offered to me to start at a flight school in Ukraine," Vitske said.
"I just want to continue my aviation career. I want to develop myself."
Vitske is doing his best to focus on learning in Calgary, but his mind is never far from what's happening back in his country. Most of his family, including his girlfriend, is back in Ukraine and he talks to them every day.
"The war is not over for me at all," he said. "I'm still a Ukrainian citizen and I (watch) the news every day and feel anxious about all the horrible news."
Arthur has organized a GoFundMe for Vitske to try and help pay for flight school in Canada. He hopes to help his new roommate achieve what he was so close to starting before the war broke out.
"Not many people have had to live what he has gone through and continues to go through," Arthur said.
"The goals and drive he has and the ambition and drive I've seen so far, he deserves the chance we all have and sometimes take for granted living in Canada."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Broadcaster and commentator Rex Murphy dead at 77: National Post
The National Post is reporting that Rex Murphy, the pundit and columnist who hosted a national call-in radio show for decades, has died.
Pearson gold heist suspect arrested after flying into Toronto from India
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Millions of cyberattacks per hour as B.C. government investigates multiple breaches
Careful attention to government statements and legislation is required to get a handle on the level of risk British Columbians’ information is under, as investigators probe multiple breaches under a continued barrage of attacks.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Debate on abortion rights erupts on Parliament Hill, Poilievre vows he won't legislate
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
New 'Lord of the Rings' film coming in 2026
The Oscar-winning team behind the nearly US$6 billion blockbuster 'Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' trilogies is reuniting to produce two new films.