by Daniel Duric, for the Newport Dispatch

NORTON — A Norton resident has returned from a humanitarian trip to Kherson, Ukraine, where he helped deliver food and supplies to civilians living under daily threat of attack near the front line of the war.

Matthew St. George traveled to the city with World Aid Runners, a nonprofit that provides food, medicine, hygiene supplies, clothing and other essentials to people in the embattled region. He made the trip alongside volunteers Ben Dusing and Kristina Synia, who live full-time in Kherson to continue aid operations.

Kherson sits on the Ukrainian-controlled side of the Dnipro River, across from Russian-held territory. Residents face recurring drone attacks, shelling and strikes, but many, particularly elderly and medically vulnerable people, remain because they have nowhere else to go.

The danger was immediate. The team’s vehicle, loaded with food, broke down on the main road into the area, a route locals call the “Road of Death” because vehicles traveling it are vulnerable to attack. After receiving a partial ride, St. George and the group continued on foot for roughly 45 minutes through an area where drone activity was a constant concern.

“At that point, you understand there is no normal day for the people who live there,” St. George said. “They are trying to get food, care for family members, and survive while the threat is always overhead.”

At the organization’s Kherson headquarters, St. George received a briefing on local conditions and safety procedures. That evening, the city experienced a heavier-than-normal series of attacks. The headquarters where St. George was staying was struck twice by FPV drones.

The next day, the team resumed deliveries deeper into the city. St. George described damaged buildings, abandoned vehicles and streets filled with debris.

World Aid Runners provides essential supplies to more than 2,000 people each month in Kherson and surrounding areas. For many recipients, receiving a food box or medication requires traveling long distances despite the risks.

“One older woman I spoke with could barely walk, but she had made a two-hour trip each way to receive aid,” St. George said. “That is what has stayed with me. This was never about me. It was about seeing what civilians in Kherson endure every day just to survive.”

St. George said he plans to return to Kherson. He is raising awareness and support for World Aid Runners’ continued work in the region. Donations can be made at worldaidrunners.org.