TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY PATRICK CURREY

Polar Tankers Able Bodied Seaman – Unlimited (AB) Ivan Nehoda was born and still lives in Ukraine with his wife, Lyudmyla, and six children – five boys and one girl – ranging from 9 to 26 years old.  

In early 2022, when Russia amassed troops on the border, Ivan had just begun a two-month tour aboard the Polar Resolution. On the day of the invasion, Ivan was two days out to sea from Valdez.  

Ivan received a simple text message from Lyudmyla, “It's started.”

He immediately went to the captain and said, “I need to go.”   

With Polar Tankers full support, Ivan disembarked when the ship arrived at the port of Los Angeles.  

Able Bodied Seaman – Unlimited

A geologist by training, Ivan received his master’s degree in Ukraine. He came to the U.S. in 1998 in search of opportunity but, unable to prove his educational accreditation, he had to find work to support his family.   

His introduction to the sea came as a crew member on a fishing boat in the Bering Sea where he spent years on the hunt for Pacific and Black Cod.   

It was difficult and dangerous work. Ivan recalls being out to sea for as many as eight months at a time with only enough time to offload the catch and continue fishing.  

He joined the Seafarers International Union and heard about Polar Tankers from a friend.  

“It was a company with high standards and a hard job to come by.”  

Ivan applied without much hope. Much to his surprise, he got a call from Polar Tankers, but was out to sea at the time and unavailable for work. He didn't give up. By now with 10 years of seagoing experience, he was highly qualified, with the required hours of sailing experience needed to obtain his Merchant Mariners Credentials as Able Bodied Seaman – Unlimited.  

When he got a second call from Polar Tankers, Ivan never looked back.  

Martial Law

Ukrainian airspace was closed, so Ivan flew into Warsaw, Poland.   

Train loads of frightened refugees were fleeing into Poland. Westbound coaches that normally held 40 were packed with 120-150 people. Eastbound trains were loaded with humanitarian supplies. It took several days for Ivan to find space.   

People were asking him, “Why are you going to Ukraine?  Everyone is going the other way.”  

“Because my family is there,” he responded.   

Ivan was unable to reach Lyudmyla by phone. Communications had gone dark, and he had no idea what was happening at home.  

Refugees

Ivan made it to Lviv in the middle of the night.  

Normally, it's a 20-minute bus ride home, but hearing rumors of a pending attack, Ivan spent the night in the train station so he wouldn't violate the lockdown.  

In the morning, he could see that the city had changed completely. The normal population of Lviv is around 700,000. The city's refugee population exploded overnight by many hundreds of thousands. Schools, churches, train and bus stations, private houses were all sheltering the dislocated masses.  

Thousands of people gathered outside the train station. It was the middle of winter and freezing cold.  

“These refugees left everything behind. People were in their slippers and pajamas.”

 Homefront

Ivan finally made it home.    

“There were many casualties. Stores were empty, gas stations had no gas. Missile strike warnings continued day and night. We would go to the bomb shelter. My wife's parents in their 80's, had to flee to our house. Her father is recovering from a stroke and had difficulty walking.”   

More problematic for Ivan was that his building was near a tank manufacturing plant, a military target.  

“Half the buildings in our neighborhood were already empty because of the fear of a strike.”  

Ivan decided to get his family to a small cabin in the Carpathian Mountains, about 100 miles from Lviv. Before they could leave, attacks on military targets began.   

“The missiles were flying overhead, and our windows were shaking. The nearby tank factory was being destroyed. We fell on our knees in the flat and started praying.”   

Eventually Ivan was able to get his family to the cabin. Only his military age sons, Maksym and Matvii, stayed behind to serve.  

“Things have calmed down from the early first assault, but you can't say the city is a safe place.”   

Ivan considered abandoning the country altogether but can't bear the thought of leaving his sons behind.  

Unwavering support

Once Ivan had most of his family safely ensconced in the mountain cabin, he was determined to get back to work.  

He sent an email to Polar Tankers Senior Staff Representative Janice Mansfield: “Today, June 2, I was able to get out from Ukraine. I have a flight tonight and tomorrow, June 3, I will arrive in Los Angeles around 1400 ready for work. Let me know please where you need me.”  

Janice quickly found a spot for Ivan to get back to work.  

In February before Ivan left, his fellow crew members took up a collection and gave it to him. While he was away, the fleet started a Go Fund Me page and raised more than $16,000 for Ivan and his family.   

“We've had so many emails of well-wishers and supporters,” Ivan said. “God bless the people who've opened their heart to help feed and care for people who have lost everything.  

“I was worried the company would fire me because I couldn't get out and make it back to work on time. The company came back with full support and said, 'Don't worry about it. When you will be available the job is still yours. Make sure you and your family are safe.' It was a feeling of unbelievable support for me and my family when we needed it most.”