Two men from Bucks and Montgomery counties who recently died in Ukraine while fighting as soldiers to defend the country from Russia will be honored at this year’s Ukrainian American Sports Center Ukrainian Folk Festival.
The 34th Annual Ukrainian folk festival on August 24, landing on Ukrainian Independence Day, will be honoring Bobby Pietrangelo, 23, of Hilltown and Corey Nawrocki, 41, of Lansdale, who both recently lost their lives fighting for Ukraine.
Eugene Luciw, director of external relations at the Tryzub Ukrainian American Sports Center and one of the festival’s lead organizers, said this year’s festival concert, for the first time, will be specially and fully dedicated to specific heroes who followed a “special calling to defend the Ukrainian people from imperial Russia’s brutal, genocidal aggression.” Luciw called Pietrangelo and Nawrocki, who were not Ukrainian, “neighbors,” and said there’s no greater sign of love than when a friend lays down their life for another friend.
“These two fellows had absolutely no direct interest in this fight except to understand that it’s important for the Western world and the United States to go abroad and fight for freedom,” Luciw said. “They had it in their hearts, their huge hearts, to protect.”
Each year, Luciw said, the festival hosts soldiers wounded in Ukraine who have come to the United States for various levels of care such as prosthetic devices and restoration of eyesight or hearing. In addition to its ongoing dedication to soldiers in Ukraine, the festival spreads awareness of Ukrainian heritage and history, especially since the 2022 Russian incursion.
“[We want] to educate the public about what Ukraine is, how it is a separate and distinct nation with a separate and distinct language, is one that has a right to exist, one that has a right to self-determination as a nation state, and has the right to be in Europe and no longer in some ancient sphere of influence from the Russian empire in its various forms,” Luciw said.
As the festival progresses throughout the day, Luciw said, festival leaders will remind attendees of their message that America has an obligation to help Ukraine.
“Aren’t Americans the ones who stand up for freedom? Aren’t Americans supposed to be embracing Ukraine?” Luciw asked. “I think it’s also a natural occurrence to understand that whatever happens in Ukraine is going to have ramifications for us as Americans.”
Bobby Pietrangelo, who grew up in Hilltown and graduated from Pennridge High School, died in early January this year at the age of 23 while defending Pokrovsk from invasion. As a teenager, he volunteered with the Silverdale and Perseverance Fire Companies. He also took history courses at Bucks County Community College while he was in high school. Dana Fancher, Bobby’s mother, said he read books about the history of Ukraine and Russia’s conflict, and felt Russia’s intentions to be genocidal.
“He recited the history and the dates and the invasions and could tell me everything about history of what happened, different battles with and invasions from Russia,” Fancher said. “I didn’t fully realize until my son educated me that this didn’t just start up; this has been an ongoing problem with Ukraine and Russia.”
Pietrangelo wanted to join the U.S. Marine Corps after high school, but was unable to due to kidney disease. In 2022, he travelled to Ukraine to aid in humanitarian efforts, where he helped rescue and recover the injured and deceased from bombed civilian areas, including a maternity ward, and helped stray animals as well. In 2023, he volunteered with the Believe Family Foundation for about a year. While Pietrangelo was in Ukraine, Fancher said she and him talked almost every day, if he was not on the frontlines.
In early July 2024, Pietrangelo officially joined the Ukrainian Army and was sent to the frontlines, as a soldier of the Ukrainian Army. In October 2024, he suffered a severe concussion and brain injury after a drone attack, and was subsequently awarded an iron cross for bravery under fire. Afterwards, he returned to the frontlines.
“[Joining the military] was one of the most proud moments for him, and that was one of his goals which was to fight for freedom and democracy and he wanted to protect Ukraine,” Fancher said. “Bobby wanted to fight for democracy and freedom first and foremost. It wasn’t only for Ukraine. He would have continued anywhere to fight for that cause.”
Fancher recalled taking a 6-year-old Pietrangelo to the Hatboro Library for a WWII speaker series. Pietrangelo was “riveted” with their stories because of the honor, loyalty, and bravery they portrayed. Although the veterans talked about being scared, Fancher said, their perseverance caused Pietrangelo to look up to them as heroes.
“I think he admired and recognized what it means to be a hero, and to be brave. It doesn’t mean you’re not afraid, it means you overcome the fear and you do what you need to do,” Fancher said.
For Bobby’s memorial service, Fancher said she received strong support from Ukrainian groups around the area. Saint Vladimir Orthodox Cathedral in Philadelphia coordinated members in the Philadelphia post of the Ukrainian American Veterans to perform a gun salute and a presentation of a flag in honor of Bobby, and members of branch 46 in the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America brought sunflowers and support from the Ukrainian American community in the local area.
A pastor from Solomon’s United Church of Christ, the archbishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia, a father from St. Vladimir, and state rep. Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick led a multidenominational joint Ukrainian Catholic service. Additionally, Fitzpatrick honored Bobby by having his name permanently entered into the National Archives of the Congressional Record, and presented Fancher with a folded flag that was flown over the capital in honor of Bobby.
“I thought the people were so strong, and so warm, and they came out to support us in such a loving way, and I hardly know how to describe it,” Fancher said. “When they came for my son, they brought food, they brought tents, they brought people, they brought love.”
Fancher’s family does not have Ukrainian heritage, but are descendents of American founding father George Clymer, who was a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
The folk festival sees a similar trend of Ukrainian and American alliance. Luciw said about 40 to 50 percent of the festival’s attendees are non-Ukrainian, who often engage in conversation with other Ukrainian attendees. Since Russia’s incursion of Ukraine, Luciw said he has seen an uptick from about 2,500 to 3,500 festival attendees. Admission is $20, and $2 of each admission is sent to the United Ukrainian American Relief Committee, which supports relief and humanitarian efforts since World War II.
Luciw also emphasized Russia’s aggression towards Ukraine dates back to 2014, with the annexation of Crimea. But, in spite of what he calls Russia’s desire to eradicate the Ukrainian people, Ukrainian culture is joyous and the festival will provide for a much needed celebration.
“We do, as a nation, love to laugh. We love to have fun,” Luciw said. “Our culture is so vibrant, our song is so beautiful and wonderful, and we can’t just stop doing it, because that will, and this is the bottom line, give the aggressor the satisfaction of knowing that he has destroyed us.”
To send a message to Bobby’s family, contact rememberingbobbymoose(at)gmail.com.
This QR code directs you to a living memorial where people can learn more about Bobby Pietrangelo.
