Kathrine Frich
Alan’s wife, Stephanie, had pleaded with him not to go.
Alan’s wife, Stephanie, had pleaded with him not to go.
A British Volunteer’s Fatal First Mission in Ukraine
Alan Robert Williams, 35, from Wirral, Merseyside, volunteered to join Ukrainian forces despite having no military training.
His family now believes he was killed by a Russian drone strike just weeks into his deployment.
He had been declared missing in action, and his body has yet to be recovered.
A Family’s Worst Fears Confirmed
Alan’s wife, Stephanie, had pleaded with him not to go.
The two share a 12-year-old daughter.
Despite her warnings, Alan left for Ukraine, driven by what his family believes was a deep mental health struggle and a desire to find purpose after losing his job earlier in the year.
A Tragic Mission in Kharkiv
According to reports from Alan’s unit, he was killed on July 14 while attempting to rescue foreign officers in the Kharkiv region.
The squad was ambushed by four drones, and a mortar exploded just eight meters from Alan.
He never responded, and the team was forced to retreat under fire.
No Military Background, Just a Will to Help
Alan had no prior combat experience.
He signed up with the Ukrainian unit on June 10 and was killed barely a month later.
His wife revealed that he had long wanted to join the army and had previously worked in security, but had no frontline experience before Ukraine.
‘If I Can’t Die by My Own Hand…’
Stephanie believes Alan’s decision to fight may have been shaped by his recent mental health crisis.
He had previously attempted suicide and, she said, may have seen the war as a way to end his life.
But messages later showed a more complex motivation rooted in protecting civilians, especially children.
A Heart Full of Purpose
Once in Ukraine, Alan reportedly felt a renewed sense of meaning.
He told friends he could no longer watch innocent people suffer and felt called to act.
“He finally felt he wasn’t failing people,” Stephanie said, describing how passionate he was about protecting vulnerable lives.
A Wife’s Unrelenting Grief
Stephanie’s last conversation with Alan was on July 2.
She sensed something was wrong, his tone was different.
From that moment, she checked her phone hourly.
It wasn’t until July 15 that she received word from a Ukrainian sergeant: Alan was presumed dead.
MIA Status Prevents Closure
Without a recovered body, Alan cannot be officially declared Killed in Action.
Stephanie must wait six months to petition Ukrainian courts for confirmation, an emotionally and financially draining process.
Until then, she receives no widow’s support, despite losing half her household income.
A Call for Support in Grief
To help with rent, bills, and legal fees, Stephanie’s mother launched a GoFundMe campaign.
The family hopes to ease the crushing financial burden while honouring Alan’s memory, a man who, despite his own pain, sought to protect others in one of the world’s most dangerous war zones.
