Volodymyr Serb, a teenager from Kyiv, was forced to flee his war-torn home earlier this year after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Serb and his mother ended up in the California area; his father stayed to fight.
An avid hockey player back home, a local hockey team has since welcomed him onto the ice and into their community.
Now Serb has a new group of teammates and a second home with the California Heat in Panorama City.
The team is started a GoFundMe fundraising campaign for their new teammate, who they have nicknamed “Vova.”
Money raised will be used to pay for Vova’s equipment, uniform, league fees and any travel expenses that come along with his new team.
This segment of Link Up With Lynette aired on the KTLA 5 Weekend Morning News on Aug. 21, 2022.