U.S. paratrooper helps Ukraine refugees navigate through Poland: "I can't do nothing"
More than a million Ukrainians have crossed the border into Poland since Russia's invasion began. But getting out of their war-torn country is just the beginning of a long journey.
Many refugees who make it to Poland have no idea how to get where they're going or where to wait for the next leg of their journey, which can sometimes take days. And that's where an American paratrooper on vacation in Poland decided to jump in and help.
U.S. Army Captain Sabastian Conour was on leave in Poland, visiting the Nazi death camp at Treblinka, when the Russian assault happened. Instead of taking his planned flight to Ireland, he grabbed a train to the Polish town of Przemysl, near the border with Ukraine, and started booking every hotel room he could find.
"I saw that human tragedy, I saw this unfolding, and I was like, I can't do nothing. It doesn't make any sense," Conour told CBS News correspondent Christina Ruffini.
He then went to a train station and stood on a crowded corner armed with a cardboard sign and Google Translate to carry out his self-appointed mission: finding rooms for refugees in transit.
"The only way I could think of to help these people was to get hotels and put them in a place where they could get a hot shower and a bed," Conour said.
Among those he helped were four women and a 6-year-old boy who came from Kyiv, Ukraine's capital. Their train for Warsaw didn't leave until the next day. So instead of sleeping at the station, they followed Conour about 15 minutes through cold cobblestone streets to this hostel, where they got four beds, free of charge.
One of the women said the decision to flee Ukraine came at the last minute.
"Even yesterday I didn't know if I should leave or if I should stay," she said.
In the face of overwhelming uncertainty, they said knowing they have a place to sleep tonight helps.
Conour's leave ended Wednesday. But although he left Poland, he still had rooms booked to give out and handed over the effort to some local volunteers. He's also set up an online fundraiser, which has raised more than $5,000 so far.
