NHL heartthrob and the greatest ice hockey player of all time, Wayne Gretzky’s influences aren’t just limited to the boundaries of his sport. However, his awareness of the world’s ongoings is another remarkable quality that the athlete nurtures within himself. Concerning the political discourse of things, he has a thing or two to contribute. 

A resurfaced video on Facebook revealed Gretzky addressing the present Ukrainian political situation. In addition to that, he acknowledged the influence of culture on his family and his childhood overall. Guess how The Great One was introduced to his Ukrainian heritage?

Wayne Gretzky’s regard for Ukraine

In a Facebook video posted by In Ukraine that has resurfaced on the internet, the 61-year-old athlete once gave a speech at a fundraising dinner held in his native country, Canada, to recognize and stand in solidarity against the Russo–Ukrainian war. Interestingly, Wayne Gretzky has a Ukrainian lineage because his grandmother was a native of Ukraine. He said, “My grandmother used to yell at me in Ukrainian… and that’s how I kinda learnt.”

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“We had a lot of Ukrainian influence on our family,” Gretzky added. Additionally, he mentioned that he met with Kristina A. Kvien, a chief diplomat at the US Embassy in Kyiv who described the efforts that were being put in to neutralize the crisis such as sending over medical professionals to the nation. 

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On that note, Gretzky admitted, “To me, when she said we’re sending 25 volunteer doctors to go over and help, that was sort of really touching for me.” He even declared that he and his wife, Janet Jones along with his father, Walter Gretzky were pleased to be present at the event.

Wayne Gretzky stands in support of Ukraine

The legendary ice hockey player hails from a Ukrainian–Canadian background. Moreover, he is not the only one with a Ukrainian heritage as the list goes on to a wide range of amazing NHL players. Reportedly, Gretzky decided to address the issue of the Russo–Ukrainian war and utilized his official Twitter handle to exhibit support for his motherland, apparently.

Gretzky implied in his post, that he first learned Ukrainian since his mother wasn’t initially acquainted with the English language and it took her a while to get accustomed to it. Additionally, he addressed the country of Ukraine as his family’s motherland.

Moreover, Gretzky’s eternal love for his ancestral homeland is noteworthy. The man is an MVP in real life too! Hopefully, his awareness and struggle for a war-free world shall be accomplished. Let us know what you thought of the athlete’s Ukrainian ancestry.

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