Pritzker honors Illinoisans sending ambulances to Ukraine

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — Many people have followed updates about the war in Ukraine and wonder what they can do to help. Gov. JB Pritzker thanked an Illinois father and daughter Wednesday for their efforts to send ambulances and other medical vehicles to Ukraine.

Nine-year-old Lily and her father Chris Manson have stepped up to fill a dire need for help in Ukraine. Their organization U.S. Ambulances for Ukraine has sent 38 ambulances to the country over the past year. Unfortunately, several of those vehicles were already destroyed in the war zone.

"I just recently received a message from people that we had sent an ambulance to," Manson said. "Basically, what they said was the ambulance you donated, it had been in service for about two and a half months, it worked every single day, and it transported about 20 wounded people per day."

The Manson family worked with the Chicago Consulate General of Ukraine, U-A Resistance, and healthcare organizations across the state to make this possible.

Although, Lily and Chris aren't done yet.

Their organization hopes to have a total of 51 ambulances, eight fire engines and fives SUVs delivered to Ukraine by August.

"This kind of aggression cannot go without response," Pritzker said. "And I must say, they are saving lives. Especially young Lily Manson who came up with the idea to make this happen and whose father and she worked together to make all of these ambulances an opportunity to save lives, Ukrainian lives in a terrible conflict."

Pritzker also thanked UA Resistance Foundation President Ellen Lopatkina for her help with logistics to get the vehicles to Ukraine. The humanitarian effort means even more to Lopatkina who stressed that medical vehicles are specific targets for Russian forces.

"They do give out bonuses to their servicemen for targeting ambulances and paramedics specifically because every paramedic and the vehicle lost equates to multiple lives lost on the field," Lopatkina said.

Pritzker said everyone in Illinois should join him in thanking the Manson family and UA Resistance for their ongoing work to help people most in need.

"I love it," Pritzker added. "Illinois is making a difference."