In a poignant gesture spanning thousands of kilometres, a Calgarian recovering from severe combat injuries in Ukraine has been honoured with one of his hometown's highest symbols of respect: the traditional white cowboy hat.
A Symbol of Home and Honour on the Front Lines
The iconic white hat, sent from Calgary City Hall, finally reached Mac Hughes in Kharkiv, Ukraine, earlier this month. It arrived with a personal letter from then-Mayor Jyoti Gondek, signed on October 22, 2025, just two days after her electoral defeat, in one of her final official acts.
"Your work to defend all (Ukraine’s) citizens has not gone unnoticed here in Calgary," the letter stated. "You have sacrificed so much in your front line duty fighting for Ukraine… we’re heartened to know you’re getting the treatment you need."
Gondek added that the hat could serve as "a daily reminder you’re in the thoughts and prayers of Calgarians."
Surviving a Devastating Attack
The honour follows Hughes's harrowing experience on the front lines. On July 1, 2025, the 23-year-old suffered severe burns when a Russian attack drone struck his position while he was serving with Ukrainian forces and other foreign volunteers on the Zaporizhzhia front in southeastern Ukraine.
His life was saved by the quick actions of fellow soldiers, who pulled him from beneath a burning vehicle. Hughes is now undergoing physical rehabilitation after recent surgery to repair nerve damage.
"It’s amazing, it’s an honour, actually," Hughes said of receiving the white hat, typically bestowed upon dignitaries visiting Calgary. "A lot of cool people have gotten white hats." In a photo taken by his father, Paul, Hughes wears the new hat over his military camouflage.
A Family's Commitment Amidst Ongoing Danger
Hughes and his father have been in Ukraine since 2022, initially arriving to assist with humanitarian work during the war's early days. They now reside in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, which remains perilously close to the conflict, situated just 30 kilometres from an active front line.
The ongoing danger was starkly illustrated on January 2, 2026, when two powerful Russian missiles struck an apartment complex only two blocks from where Hughes's father lives. The attack killed two people, including a three-year-old child, and wounded 28 others.
"It’s very bad – (my) whole apartment shook," Paul Hughes recounted shortly after the strike.
Despite the ever-present threat and his own injuries, Mac Hughes remains resolute. He expressed a belief that his luck would hold, stating, "I’ve already been bombed – they say lightning doesn’t strike twice." More importantly, he has declared his intention to undertake another deployment after his rehabilitation is complete, driven by a desire to thank the Ukrainian soldiers who saved his life.
Alongside the white hat, the care package from Calgary also contained a Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Medal awarded in 2022, recognizing his earlier humanitarian work. For now, Hughes keeps the white hat safely stored. "I put it back in the plastic bag, I don’t want it to get dirty," he said, a simple act preserving a powerful symbol of gratitude from a hometown half a world away.
