A Mandurah family stranded in Ukraine amid a rising threat of war has arrived in Western Australia after a tense wait to return home with their newborn baby.
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Samuel Hogg and Tessa Pollard found themselves unable to follow Australian Federal government directives to flee the country last month.
Their baby Jasper, born just a few weeks earlier in the capital Kyiv via surrogate, did not have the necessary documentation, including a passport, to leave the country.
A lengthy and complicated wait for DNA testing, document certification and official meetings, plus a huge spike in airfare costs led Perth-based friends and family to establish a fundraising campaign to help the family.
The campaign raised over $12,000 before being closed to donations upon their safe arrival home.
"I'd like to say how grateful we are to each person who donated, and offered help," Tessa Pollard said.
"We still feel overwhelmed with the donations and beautiful messages of support.
"It really got us through."
Friend Danielle Mercer said as tensions heightened between Russia and Ukraine, the family's situation became urgent.
"[It was] an intense and scary day on Saturday," she said.
"They had the embassy telling them to get out.
"All the fundraiser money finally landed in their accounts and went towards booking their flights.
"They managed to all safely get on the flight Saturday and have been traveling for three days with baby Jasper.
"They landed here in Perth safely and are in self isolation."
Ms Pollard said the process to get her newborn son home had been an "ordeal", and could have been made far easier by the Australian government, but that she was ultimately just relieved to be safe at home.
Nicky Lefebvre
I am a journalist, photographer and content creator based in the beautiful Margaret River wine region, covering all aspects of our community including local news, sport, entertainment and events, as well as providing a platform for our readers to share their voices direct from regional Australia.
I am a journalist, photographer and content creator based in the beautiful Margaret River wine region, covering all aspects of our community including local news, sport, entertainment and events, as well as providing a platform for our readers to share their voices direct from regional Australia.
