Manitoba family waits for return of son's body from Ukraine's front lines

Before Austin Lathlin-Bercier ever mentioned the word "Ukraine" to his parents, his mom Lucy Lathlin knew he wanted to go.

Days after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February of 2022, Lathlin-Bercier called his parents from Portugal asking them to locate some personal documents and sell his belongings so they could send him money.

"We kept asking why and he wouldn't say," she said.

Two days later, Lathlin-Bercier phoned his parents again — this time to announce that he was joining the International Legion for the Defence of Ukraine, which recruits fighters from around the world.

"He made his choice and I couldn't stop him," Lucy Lathlin said.

"He wanted to make a difference … He never wanted to see people hurt."

The 25-year-old from Opaskwayak Cree Nation in northern Manitoba put his life on the line for a country he had no prior connection to — and died fighting an invading army seeking to break it.

Austin Lathlin-Bercier joined the International Legion for the Defence of Ukraine days after Russia's invasion. (Lucy Lathlin/Supplied)

Lathlin-Bercier was killed at age 25 this past autumn in combat with the Russians.

His family says his body has not yet been recovered. They're raising funds and waiting for word from the international brigade he joined.

Loved ones who spoke to CBC News described the 25-year-old as a caring, courageous man who was always willing to lend a hand or lift someone's spirits with a joke or two. His mother Lucy is now telling the story of his journey for the first time.

"It was like his duty," she said. "That's why he was here. This was his purpose, he told me."

'No, Austin. Why?'

Austin Lathlin-Bercier grew up the eldest of seven children in Opaskwayak Cree Nation, roughly 625 km northwest of Winnipeg.

His mother said he learned to help others while taking care of his youngest brother, Keenan, who is paraplegic.

Ever since he was a child, she said, Lathlin-Bercier was interested in the army.

He got serious about it at age 16, when he learned about the Canadian Armed Forces' Bold Eagle program, which mixes Indigenous culture and teachings with military training.

Lathin-Bercier needed his Grade 10 to apply, so he worked hard to get accepted into Bold Eagle and went on to complete the Raven program, a similar program offered in B.C. by the Royal Canadian Navy.

He applied to join the Canadian Armed Forces upon his return to Manitoba but was turned down because of his eyesight.

It didn't stop him. Lathlin-Bercier saved his money and planted trees to pay for laser eye surgery.

Austin Lathlin-Bercier with his mom, Lucy Lathlin. (Lucy Lathlin/Supplied)

Just as he was offered a two-year scholarship at Royal Military College Saint-Jean in Montreal, he got a chance to volunteer for another forestry program, in Portugal.

"All I told him was, 'Whatever makes you happy,'" Lucy said. "He still wanted to see more."

She said her son had been in Portugal for only about a month when Russia launched its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022. A little over a week later, he phoned his parents to say he'd enlisted.

"All I said was, 'No, Austin. Why?'" she said.

Two days after that phone call, Lathlin-Bercier arrived in Ukraine and prepared for battle.

'He just had this light'

Lucy said her son told her little about where he was and what he was doing. All she knew was that he was in danger.

"Sometimes, I'd get a phone call and all I would hear are the sirens and the explosions," she said. "But he kept telling me, 'I'm okay. I'm okay.'"

Raylene Young, 23, said she kept in touch with her cousin through Messenger and Snapchat, which he used to send her photos of stray cats.

Young, also from Opaskwayak Cree Nation, said she saw Lathlin-Bercier like a brother.

"He just had this light and this warmth in him that other people wanted to be around," she said.

"He always gave the best advice … That's one thing that I'm going to miss a lot."

Austin Lathlin-Bercier, whose traditional name is Running Grey Wolf, reconnected with his culture before he died. (Lucy Lathlin/Supplied)

Lathlin-Bercier came home for his mother's birthday in the late summer of 2022. Happy as she was, Lucy could tell that her son had changed.

She said he slept a lot, startled easily around loud noises and closed doors quickly after he entered a room. She said she believes her son came home with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Lucy said her son, whose traditional name means Running Grey Wolf, also wanted to reconnect with his culture and went to ceremonies and prepared traditional medicines with elders while he was back in Manitoba.

'I'll be back for Christmas'

Chase McCorrister said he made an immediate connection with Lathlin-Bercier when they met on a plane in 2019 on their way to Peru for an Indigenous youth leadership program, where they taught English.

"Some of the best times in my life were spent with Austin," said McCorrister.

The program, run by the former international non-profit Canada World Youth, took place over five months in Lampa, Peru.

The participants weren't supposed to leave the communities they worked in, but McCorrister said he and Lathlin-Bercier convinced the organizers to let them go to Machu Picchu.

"We started at 5 a.m., and he [Lathlin-Bercier] was like 10 steps ahead of me the whole time," McCorrister said.

"He was really fit … Good times."

McCorrister said Lathlin-Bercier was a local celebrity during his brief visit home in 2022. He had picked up a bit of Ukrainian and often spoke to refugees who had fled the war for the safety of Manitoba.

"They just respected him so much when they found out he was there doing that," McCorrister said.

"They'd buy him drinks. He was like a rockstar."

Raylene Young (left) pictured with cousins Kayla Bercier, Austin Lathlin-Bercier and Ashley Bercier. (Raylene Young/Supplied)

Although he tried to convince him to stay, McCorrister said he knew Lathlin-Bercier was determined to go back to Ukraine.

"He loved the people out there," he said. "I think the last text was, 'So, yeah, man. I'm just in this hole right now.'

"He's like, 'I'm doing okay, though. I'll be back for Christmas.'"

'You're my hero'

Two of Lathlin-Bercier's unit comrades died in Ukraine while he was in Manitoba. It weighed on him.

"He felt like he wasn't there to protect them so he told me he had to go back," Lucy said.

His family and friends tried to convince him to stay, but Lathlin-Bercier said it was his duty to return.

His mother said he made a lot of friends in Ukraine and even had a girlfriend there.

On May 19, 2023, Lathlin-Bercier left Manitoba for the last time.

"He said, 'I'm going to be a living legend, mom. I'm going to be a war hero for Opaskwayak Cree Nation,'" Lucy said.

"I turned and smiled at him and said, 'You already are. You're my hero.'"

Austin Lathlin-Bercier (centre) at Machu Picchu with friends Sean Campbell (left) and Chase McCorrister (right). (Chase McCorrister/Supplied)

Lucy Lathlin said she last spoke to her son over the phone on Sept. 14, just before his Russian blue cat of 14 years, Little Grey, died back home.

"I phoned him and let him know that his Grey was passing so I put the phone close to the Little Grey and Austin talked with him," she said.

"He said, 'It's OK, Grey. You can rest now.'"

She sent her last text to her son on Nov. 9 — Indigenous Veterans Day.

"I said, 'Happy Aboriginal Veterans Day, son. I hope you're doing okay,'" she said. "He said, 'Thanks, all good over here, mom.'"

On Nov. 13, the family received a call from the Ukrainian embassy informing them that Lathlin-Bercier had gone missing. The embassy later confirmed that he had been killed.

His mother now waits by the phone for updates from Ukraine. Her son's body remains somewhere in Ukraine and it's up to his international brigade to extract him.

"If they can find him, they will be helping us prepare him and bring him home," she said.

Austin Lathlin-Bercier with his kookum (grandmother) Matilde Lathin, who died on Dec. 12, 2023. (Lucy Lathlin/Supplied)

Lathlin-Bercier's family set up a Go Fund Me campaign for Lucy to help with funeral costs and repatriation.

Young said she hopes her cousin's body comes home soon.

"Him not being here, physically, it's a lot to take in," she said. "It would make us all feel a bit better if he was here."

McCorrister said it's been a rough few weeks since learning of his friend's death.

"We need closure, a proper funeral for him," he said.

"Not having that closure, just not having answers is just really tough. I'm having a hard time with all of this, trying to work to keep busy."

He said the Canadian government should help to bring Lathlin-Bercier home.

"I feel like it's the least they can do," he said.

Friends and family members say they want Austin Lathlin-Bercier remembered for his strength and selflessness. (Lucy Lathlin/Supplied)

Global Affairs Canada would not talk about the case, citing privacy considerations.

Young said Lathlin-Bercier should be remembered for how strong he was and how much he cared about others.

"He was very pure and he had so much integrity in him," Young said.