Ukrainians in Halifax have stepped up to ensure “a dignified farewell” for 25-year-old Karina Brydnyam, who died in early January without her immediate family in the city — or even the country.

Brydnyam’s mother and sister live in Ukraine. Maryna Horobets, the head of the Nova Scotia branch of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC), said they could not get visas on time to travel to Nova Scotia to say their final goodbyes, due to Russia’s war in the country. 

That meant there was nobody to make the funeral arrangements, until a GoFundMe was started.

“No mother should have to lose her child from afar, without the chance to hold her hand one last time, without a final farewell,” reads the campaign, which was started by Ukrainian community members in Halifax.

The effort raised $12,000 to cover the costs of the funeral, cremation and repatriation. 

Horobets told CBC News she didn’t personally know Brydnya, but has helped in repatriation efforts before and is familiar with the challenges. 

Repatriation requires many documents, translation services, long wait times and airfare, Horobets said, adding that can be overwhelming and costly, especially for families that are already dealing with grief. 

In Brydnya’s case, Horobets said, it’s taking longer because the cause of death is still being investigated by the medical examiner.