Hello, my name is Kay Weeden, one of the coordinators for Stoughton Resettlement.

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Oleksii Mykhailiv, the father of one of our newly resettled Ukrainian families. This young family of four will need our support and solidarity to alleviate some of the financial burden they face in the days ahead.

Oleksii and his wife, Valeriia, fled Ukraine in late 2022 with their son and family cat.

With the help of many contributors, Stoughton Resettlement sponsored them to leave their war-torn country of Ukraine and assisted them to resettle in Stoughton, WI. It quickly became a place that they considered their true new home. Having lost everything in their home country, Oleksii and Valeriia found the support needed to begin their new life here, overcoming tremendous hurdles with language, transportation, immigration and finances. Oleksii returned to school to become a long-haul truck driver in the United States; Valeriia returned to school to become a certified nail technician. Their son enrolled in our local middle school and has exceeded expectations with English language learning and academics, and has found a new love for basketball. And with incredible joy, on January 1, 2024, they welcomed their new daughter into the world.

Oleksii loved his new beginnings here in the United States, admiring the beauty of the entire country and the kindness of everyone he met. He loved to fish and could often be found with his family on the banks of the Yahara River in Stoughton, his fishing pole in hand and a broad smile on his face.

As new immigrants to the United States, the path forward was never going to be easy, but Oleksii's unexpected death has compounded the situation for Valeriia and her family. His earnings were what they banked on to pay rent and cover expenses, especially as Valeriia is still on maternity leave. As new immigrants, they have not been here long enough to qualify for governmental assistance, so this is a very critical time for them. Oleksii and Valeriia have always been determined to achieve independence as quickly as they could, and they succeeded until this incredibly difficult moment.

Stoughton Resettlement is reaching out to each and every one of you to join hands in our mission to provide comfort and assistance for them. Your generosity and compassion will undoubtedly make a significant difference in the lives of this grieving family. Together, let us demonstrate the power of community and kindness as we rally behind the Mykhailiv family in their time of need.