LVIV, Ukraine — Paul Brown is a Cleveland Browns super fan from London. Being overseas has never stopped him from going to a Browns game or at the very least following along from home. What being overseas has done is put him in close proximity to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and he's been using his time and his platform to help Ukrainian refugees.
For the past few weeks, Brown has been doing everything he can to help the people of Ukraine. Earlier this week, Brown traveled to Ukraine, helping raise funds, provide food to refugees and other assistance projects.
"One project was looking after refugees as they came across the Polish border. And then the second project was raising money for military medical supplies. One of the things that everyone kept saying to me is they don't have enough. They don't have the resources," Brown said.
Among the resources Brown has been able to help provide are gauze and tourniquets to treat wounded soldiers. As part of the fundraising efforts Brown is a part of, more than $50,000 of medical supplies have been able to be transported to the country, he said.
"That was a little bit more risky and a little more scary," Browns said. "If you're doing humanity work you, you should be safe because it's humanity. I was carrying military equipment, even though it was to help people, so in [Russian president Vladimir] Putin's eyes, in a war crime's eyes, I was fair game as a target."
Brown's philanthropy doesn't come without risks, and on Friday Brown experienced the terrifying reality of war first hand.
"The air raid sirens were going off outside. When that goes off, you've got eight minutes for protection. So I went into a bunker, or a downstairs toilet that was well protected, and then literally you wait for half an hour until the all clear. Sometimes you wait longer," Browns detailed. "And basically a cruise missile when over my head—not that I heard or saw it—it landed four miles away and hit the local airport, so it wasn't just one, it was multiple missiles that just came over."
Despite the danger and the fear war brings, Brown is determined to power through and continue his philanthropic efforts in Ukraine.
Next week Brown is planning to help bring 21 Ukrainian children with cancer to London so they can reach safety and receive the care they need.
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