Brace yourself, because this one’s going to hit you right in the feels. Deb Richardson is back on the mic with me, and if you caught her story the first time she joined me, you’ll know exactly why I couldn’t wait to have her back. Deb’s journey is one of grit, heart, and a level of badassery that’s hard to put into words.

Deb was a guest on behalf of The Code 9 Foundation (episode 584) where Deb recounted her days as a member of Victoria Police and being caught up in the Russell Street bombing, however we also learnt about Yuri, the young 11-year-old Ukrainian boy who Deb hosted in 1993. Well, it is fair to say that a pretty special bond was created between Deb and Yuri before Yuri went home.

There is much more to this story, so please check out Deb’s first episode. Deb and Yuri lost contact until 2017 where they reconnected, and this contact accelerated after Yuri saw Russian tanks roll into the Ukraine. What transpired was Deb asking what she could do for Yuri and the idea that Deb could knit some teddy bears for the young children who have been displaced, well Deb managed to get 14,000 “Yuri bears” knitted, yes that is correct, 14,000 “Yuri bears”, obviously a quite remarkable achievement.

What is more remarkable is the earlier this year, Deb travelled to the Ukraine to deliver the “Yuri bears”.

This is her story.

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