Team with NYPD roots heading to Ukraine to render aid, rescue kids

Call it a humanitarian effort, NYPD-style.

Four current and retired members of the NYPD — three from Long Island — are heading overseas to help deliver supplies and shuttle kids in children's homes out of Ukraine.

The foursome put together the trip themselves, apart from their police department, to help people in the war-torn country, where people are fighting and fleeing Russian invaders.

Their volunteer effort began when Tymon and Milena Meehan of Manhasset decided to help the Ukrainian effort in a big way. Really big.

"I know this sounds corny, but how long can I sit on the couch watching the news without helping, physically." said Tymon Meehan, 38. "I wish I was there already."

Another Islander is also heading to Eastern Europe to help, on a separate mission.

Yogi Trivedi, 38, of New Hyde Park, is heading Monday to Poland on the Ukrainian border to help distribute humanitarian supplies to and facilitate the transport of people fleeing the country.

"I have traveled to the Syrian refugee camps with my students from Columbia University and elsewhere, but this time I am traveling with my colleagues not to teach or write, but to serve," said Trivedi. He is among the American members of the Hindu religious community BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha heading to Poland to help.

For the NYPD team, the way the trip came together was an incredible mix of coincidence, friendship and an abounding desire to help in a way beyond just giving money.

Early this week, Tymon Meehan was talking to a friend who works with the Missionary Sisters of St. Benedict in Huntington. The convent has two children's homes in Ukraine, his friend said, and is hoping to safely get the kids out of the country to Poland.

"We said, 'Sign us up,' " said Meehan, who is an NYPD lieutenant.

Shortly thereafter, Meehan said he was telling the story to his buddy at work, Sgt. A.J. Reardon, who said, "Can I come along?"

"If your wife lets you," responded Meehan.

And just like that, a third person was added to the trip.

Then, on Saturday, they added a fourth NYPD member, a former Army medic with combat experience in Iraq and Afghanistan. That person, who lives in Manhattan, asked that his name not be used, Meehan said.

So here's their plan: The foursome will fly into Warsaw, the capital of Poland, on Wednesday and drive to the city of Elk in northeast Poland. The Missionary Sisters of St. Benedict run a convent there, he said.

Then they will drive hours to the border with Ukraine where they will meet the 20 children and adults from the homes and shuttle them into Poland, he said.

"We're also planning a trip into Ukraine with a truck full of supplies," Meehan added.

The fourth member is planning on going into Ukraine to render medical aid, Meehan said.

The foursome don't know what to expect or what they might run into. But they're a bit more prepared than an average American. Both Tymon and Milena, 45, speak Polish. Milena, a retired NYPD sergeant, was born there. Reardon, their companion, speaks Russian since he studied there in college. Russian is a similar language to Ukrainian and many Ukrainians speak Russian. They're all hoping to help out with translations, Meehan said.

All four either serve or have served in the NYPD's medical division, so that could come in handy. And they're all cops.

"We're no strangers to seeing people at their worst — and victims of violence," Meehan said.

Meehan added their mission might expand, but he's not looking for any violent encounters.

"Whoever they tell me to pick up, I'll do it," he said.

Reardon, 50, of Carle Place, said that when he first discussed the trip with his wife, she thought he was putting her on.

"She just wants me to be careful and not do anything crazy," he said.

He said he's onboard to help "except if they say take this rifle and guard this wall."

His son also thought he was joking at first.

"My son didn't believe me until I showed him the [plane] ticket," Reardon said. "My daughter said, 'This in one hell of a way to have a midlife crisis.' "

Meanwhile, those at the Missionary Sisters of St. Benedict in Huntington are doing what they can to help coordinate the effort, communicating with their sisters in Poland and Ukraine.

"When I found out about this I had tears in my eyes," said Sister Justyna Owsiejko, vice superior of the Huntington convent.

Her heart goes out to the kids in the Ukrainian children's homes.

"I cannot imagine the pain these children feel, being scared and afraid," she said.

Owsiejko added, "I am so moved by things that people want to do. They opened their hearts. … They are going to help strangers, not even family."

By Craig Schneider

craig.schneider@newsday.comScraigo

Craig Schneider is a Long Island native and Stony Brook University alumnus. He joined Newsday as a general assignment reporter in January 2018 after 20 years at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.