Died defending freedom: Story of 21-year-old American who fought for Ukraine and saved wounded

Ethan's final battle

On a cold winter morning, Leslie got a call from an unknown number. A steady female voice said, “Your son is missing in action during the fighting in Donbas. I’m so sorry.” No details. Just a stark fact.

Days after the call from the U.S. State Department, Leslie reached Ethan’s commander. He said he saw her son’s body via drone, but evacuation was impossible: Russians had captured the position. For a year, Ethan was listed as missing.

“All that year, his girlfriend Veronica kept saying, ‘I won’t believe he’s dead until I see his body.’ Sometimes I thought: maybe she’s right? Maybe he’s still alive? Maybe it’s a mistake, or he’s in captivity?” Leslie said. Her voice broke. Despite sunglasses, she couldn’t hide her tears.

Not being able to bury Ethan or say a proper goodbye was a grueling ordeal for the family. Faint hopes he was alive drained them further. But all illusions faded when Leslie spoke with Ethan’s brothers-in-arms. They described his last fight.

Ethan died on December 4, 2023, defending Avdiivka with the 59th Separate Yakiv Handziuk Assault Brigade. During a massive Russian assault on the city from multiple directions, Ethan covered his unit’s retreat from Avdiivka village. With another American, he was semi-encircled. They fought side by side through the war. He was his best friend.

“Together, they took out about 12 Russians, buying time for others. Ethan reached a safe spot but saw his brother-in-arms lagging. He went back for him. His friend had been shot and was bleeding out. As Ethan tried to pull him to safety, an enemy bullet pierced the top of his chest, above his vest. Even then, he kept trying to save his friend. Neither made it out alive,” Leslie said.

Parkour, Marines, and Trump

Ethan was born on July 17, 2002, in Simi Valley, a small city northwest of Los Angeles, California. He lived there most of his life until his family moved to Springfield, Missouri. Ethan always missed California, where there were no freezes and the sun shone year-round.

“How was life in ‘red’ Missouri after ‘blue’ California?” I asked Leslie.

She hesitated and smiled: “My husband and I voted for Trump.” When I suggested their son might have voted differently after Trump halted military aid to Ukraine, Leslie just shrugged.

“Trump wants to end the war diplomatically. I hope he succeeds. His predecessor gave Ukraine weapons, but did it too slowly,” Leslie said.

In California, Leslie was diagnosed with breast cancer, which she fought for years. After beating the deadly disease, she and her family decided to relocate for a fresh start.

Ethan was the eldest child. His brother Gabriel is three years younger, his sister Hannah six. His father, John Hertweck, taught high school algebra for 20 years.

“Ethan was never great at math — he took after his mom. He was incredibly stubborn. If he set his mind to something, he saw it through. At 4, he decided to learn to tie his shoes. He sat with those laces for hours and didn’t give up until he got it. That was Ethan,” John recalled.

As a teen, Ethan did parkour and loved cliff-jumping into the sea. At 17, he joined the Marine Corps.

“From early childhood, Ethan had a sharp sense of justice and always stood up for those who couldn’t defend themselves. He was a true warrior. I wasn’t surprised when he chose the Marines. My father and grandfather were Marines. He wanted to be like them,” Leslie said.

Ethan dreamed of a military career. He trained hard and ranked in the top three among nearly 400 recruits, despite being the youngest.

But his dream was cut short. Ethan served only seven months as a Marine. At training camp, he was diagnosed with a rare genetic blood disorder, G6PD, with symptoms triggered by physical exertion.

“Ethan tried to fight it, but his body couldn’t handle it. He was honorably discharged soon after. He was devastated,” Leslie recalled.

He left the military and immediately got a job at a company making and selling firearms.

"Putin is a vile scoundrel"

When Russia launched its full-scale invasion, Ethan was furious. He followed the news and was shaken by Russian strikes on civilian targets.

“You can’t do that. Putin is a vile scoundrel,” Ethan said.

In early March, he decided to go to Ukraine to help however he could. Chaos reigned at the Polish-Ukrainian border: thousands of people, traffic jams, children crying. Ethan volunteered to aid Ukrainian refugees. He met two Britons and entered Ukraine with them. When they learned he wanted to join the army, they discouraged him. They convinced him to return home to prepare better, believing he was too young for war.

Back home, Ethan was restless. He talked constantly about Ukraine and sought contacts with other Americans planning to fight.

“He wanted to go back. We knew it was serious when boxes of military gear started arriving at our house. Ethan bought a lot — for himself and new friends already fighting in Ukraine,” Leslie said.

Days before his flight, Ethan told his parents his plans.

“We told him: ‘We love you. We pray for you and will always support you.’ We saw he was determined and wanted to help Ukrainians,” Leslie recalled.

In March 2023, Ethan returned to Ukraine. He completed a combat medic course and began teaching tactical medicine to Ukrainian army recruits.

“He was only 20. Most of his students were much older. Every time they finished training and headed to the front, Ethan cried. He knew many wouldn’t return. His decision to join the military and fight wasn’t impulsive,” Leslie said.

In June, Ethan joined the 131st Separate Reconnaissance Battalion “Witcher” as a combat medic, based in Kherson. There, he met his love.

Kherson and Veronica

Ethan and Veronica met on social media. They were nearly the same age; he was just a year older.

“When we met, the first 15 minutes were tough. I only studied English in school. I had to recall a foreign language. But Ethan was so calm and kind, I relaxed, and my English got a bit better. We clicked. We were so alike and understood each other,” Veronica recalled.

Veronica endured Russian occupation in Kherson. When Ukrainians liberated her city and Russians began shelling it, she resolved to stay with her parents until the end.

“Ethan kept asking why I wouldn’t move somewhere safer. But this is my home. My place is here. During the occupation, we barely went outside, only for groceries. We constantly cleared our phones of chats with military friends. Occupiers searched our home twice. They kidnapped my uncle. He’s still a prisoner. How can I leave and forget that?” Veronica said.

Ethan told her Kherson reminded him of California. He wanted to stay in Ukraine after the war.

“We loved sitting on a bench, talking about everything until it got dark and shelling started. Curfew and explosions reminded us how fast time flies when you’re happy together. We don’t even have photos together because we forgot about phones when we met,” Veronica recalled.

Between combat missions, he made Veronica American sandwiches with meat, lettuce, and egg. She introduced him to her mother and invited him for dinner.

“My mom adored Ethan. He was modest and polite. His favorite dish was Ukrainian borsch — but only my mom’s. After dinner, he always got up first to wash the dishes. You couldn’t stop him,” Veronica said, laughing.

When Ethan went on missions, he turned off his phone, and there was no word from him. But Veronica didn’t worry.

“Ethan was always so calm, and I tried to stay composed, too. It felt like he had everything under control, like nothing bad could happen to him. He was so sincere and kind, always eager to help others. When he looked at me, there was a childlike innocence in his eyes. But I felt safe with him,” Veronica said.

Ethan crossed the Dnipro River multiple times in an inflatable boat. He fought in Krynky and evacuated wounded from other Russian-occupied areas of Kherson Oblast’s east bank.

“Once he came back with a concussion. After that, sometimes I’d talk to him, and he seemed not to hear me, lost in thought. When I asked if he was OK, he said a brother-in-arms had died in his arms days earlier. He tried to save him but couldn’t. Ethan took it hard when he couldn’t help others. I tried to support him and distract him from dark thoughts. He called me his little soldier for staying under shelling and not leaving,” Veronica recalled.

Summer flew by. In fall 2023, Ethan transferred to the 59th Brigade. His previous unit shifted to drone warfare, but he wanted to remain a combat medic, saving the wounded.

“They were sent to Donbas. He didn’t want to leave Kherson. He loved that city. When he left, he promised to return. He kept his word. In November, he had a short leave. He came straight to Kherson to see me,” Veronica said, sighing.

Before returning to the front, Ethan gave Veronica his dog tag and a patch with the American flag. He promised again to come back.

“Ethan kept saying he’d take me from Kherson, and we’d move to Odesa together. He wanted to live by the sea, like in his childhood. But that was our last meeting. When he died, I didn’t feel it. I refused to believe he was gone until the end,” Veronica said.

First and last tattoo

Ethan last contacted his mother on December 3, 2023, saying he was going on his final mission and wouldn’t renew his contract. He promised his parents he’d be home for Christmas.

“He was exhausted and wanted a few months at home before returning to Ukraine. During a video call, he showed me a tattoo on his arm that he got in Ukraine. Three big letters and a number: IGY6. It was his only tattoo. That’s how I recognized him when Andriy, his brother-in-arms, sent me a drone photo of his body,” Leslie said.

In December 2024, Russians and Ukrainians exchanged the bodies of soldiers killed in battle. In February 2025, the Hertwecks were told Ethan’s remains were likely among them. A DNA test confirmed it.

“It was Ethan. A whole year had passed. Now we could bury him. The funeral cost about $30,000. We didn’t have that kind of money,” Leslie said.

Leslie sought help from Marine Corps veterans who knew Ethan. They raised the sum in two days. The entire Hertweck family — John, Leslie, Gabriel, and Hannah — traveled to Ukraine. Ethan’s farewell was held at Kyiv’s Independence Square. Before returning to America, the family got tattoos on their arms, identical to Ethan’s: IGY6.

Ethan Hunter Hertweck was buried with honors in California. Many attended, including Ukrainian community members who brought Ukrainian flags.

“We couldn’t bury Ethan at a military cemetery. Only those who served in the U.S. armed forces for over two years qualify. But we buried our son with dignity. Ethan gave his life for Ukraine, which he loved with all his heart. He fought for freedom. I consider him a true hero,” Leslie said, tears streaming.

Ethan Hertweck often said: “Evil triumphs when good people do nothing.” He lived and died doing everything he could to keep evil from prevailing.