UKRAINE – An Orange County native and Marine veteran is believed to be the first American casualty of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Authorities said Willy Joseph Cancel, 22, went to the war-torn country in March to fight alongside the Ukrainians in their battle against Russia, which invaded its neighbor.
Cancel is believed to have graduated from Newburgh Free Academy. He leaves behind his wife, Brittany and their seven-month-old son.
Cancel most recently was a corrections officer in Tennessee.
Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus, himself a Naval Reserves officer, is on active duty in Europe and said he is “saddened” to learn of Cancel’s death “while bravely fighting alongside Ukrainian forces in Ukraine.”
Neuhaus said Cancel arrived in Ukraine via Poland in mid-March “to go because he believed in what Ukrainians were fighting for and wanted to be part of it.”
The county executive said, “We will never forget Willy’s bravery and sacrifice, and Orange County’s thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time.”
