MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WIAT) — The Alabama Republican party is raising funds for the families of Alex Drueke and Andy Huynh.
The two Alabama veterans went to Ukraine to help fight Russia and were captured in June this year.
The men have since returned to Alabama after being released in September. While their story has made waves across the country, the financial burden to bring the men back has not.
Family members are still working to pay off bills for the cost of transportation home from the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh.
The ALGOP started a GoFundMe to go directly to the families. Party donors are planning to match all the funds raised toward the target amount of $5,000.
“All those costs getting home, which was quite expensive. There were multiple flights through Europe, last-minute lodging. Just the logistics of getting them home from Saudi Arabia back here to Alabama. So a lot went into it. A lot of fast-paced, last-minute tickets. Those expenses, they add up,” ALGOP Chairman John Wahl said.
The money will go directly to Dianna Shaw, Drueke’s aunt, who put all the expenses to bring both men home on her credit card. If you’d like to contribute, head here.
