Halifax, Nova Scotia — January 18, 2026 18:35:00 EST — A community rallied to ensure a dignified farewell for a young woman who died in Nova Scotia without family nearby, highlighting the often-overlooked logistical and emotional hurdles faced by those navigating loss far from home.
Ukrainian Community Steps In to Repatriate Remains
A GoFundMe campaign raised $12,000 to cover the costs of funeral arrangements, cremation, and the eventual return of 25-year-old Karina Brydnya’s remains to Ukraine.
- Karina Brydnya, 25, died in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in early January.
- Her mother and sister, both residing in Ukraine, were unable to travel due to the ongoing war.
- A GoFundMe campaign successfully raised $12,000 to cover repatriation costs.
- Delays are occurring due to a pending medical examiner’s report.
The story of Karina Brydnya underscores the complex challenges of international death and repatriation. Brydnya’s mother and sister, living in Ukraine, were unable to secure visas in time to travel to Nova Scotia following her death, a direct consequence of the ongoing conflict in their country, according to Maryna Horobets, head of the Nova Scotia branch of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC).
What happens when someone dies far from home with no local family? The process of arranging a funeral and returning remains to their country of origin can be incredibly difficult, involving extensive paperwork, translation services, and significant financial burdens.
With no immediate family present to make arrangements, Ukrainian community members in Halifax launched a GoFundMe campaign. The effort quickly surpassed its goal, raising $12,000 to cover the costs of Brydnya’s funeral, cremation, and the complex process of repatriation.
Horobets, while not personally acquainted with Brydnya, has assisted with similar cases previously and is well-versed in the difficulties involved. “No mother should have to lose her child from afar, without the chance to hold her hand one last time, without a final farewell,” reads the GoFundMe campaign description.
The process is currently stalled, however, awaiting the conclusion of an investigation by the medical examiner. “We’re still waiting for some documents, because without the conclusion of the medical examiner’s office, we cannot get her full death certificate,” Horobets explained.
Kollin Weatherbee, a funeral director in Sydney, Nova Scotia, confirmed that Brydnya’s situation is not uncommon. He noted that locating family members can take days, delaying the securing of necessary documentation and airfare. “The families are devastated that the person has passed away. And then the fact that they may have to wait two to three [weeks], even longer, before they may see the person or have the ashes returned to them, just expands on the grief process,” he said.
Weatherbee explained that coordinating with family members in another country, often relying on translators, adds another layer of complexity. Obtaining a death certificate and navigating consulate involvement—particularly in areas lacking a consulate—can be particularly challenging.
Transporting remains involves varying regulations, from shipping ashes via Canada Post to adhering to airline policies and international laws. Weatherbee explained that cremation certificates are essential for ash transport, provided the ashes are in a porous container. Full-body repatriation is more complex and costly, requiring embalming and specialized sealed containers.
Horobets noted that Ukrainian tradition favors burial, but given the time it would take to return Brydnya’s body—potentially months, and in a condition unrecognizable to her family—cremation was chosen. The ashes will be personally delivered to Ukraine by Brydnya’s former mother-in-law.
Brydnya’s death has resonated deeply within the Halifax Ukrainian community, who have come together to remember her life. “On Karina’s funeral, there were a lot of people that just wanted to express their condolences to her family,” Horobets said. “They came with flowers, they came with toys. They brought some tea just to share good memories or listen to who Karina was.”
