NOVATO — Most people think about leisurely traveling or picking up a hobby in retirement, but one Novato man knew exactly what he wanted to do. 

Christian Thwaites retired from the investment banking business at the end of last year and recently returned to Novato after delivering a truck full of supplies to war-torn Ukraine. 

Thwaites has been watching the war unfold in Ukraine since 2022. For years, he's thought about how he can help the people of the Eastern European country. 

"Sending money is one thing but maybe there are other skills that I can bring to the table," he said. "See the country and get a better understanding of it." 

So he reached out to a volunteer group in his home country of England called Driving Ukraine. Within weeks, he was driving a truck full of supplies across Europe into western Ukraine. It was a three-day journey, driving roughly 14 hours a day. 

"Countries I've read about, history I've read about but actually being there," Thwaites said, "I wasn't nervous about anything happening but it was definitely a little outside my comfort zone." 

The trucks and ambulances that his convoy transported were packed with anything from medical supplies to children's books. 

"They just sort of waved us in and clapped," he said. "You just felt these people are so grateful and so nice." 

On his journey, the memories that stick with Thwaites the most are the conversations he had with Ukrainians. One of those people was a man named Alex. Alex owned a bar near the Russian border but has been fighting on the frontlines since the war started. Thwaites had two sons serve in Afghanistan and worries about how the war will impact people like Alex. 

"I just asked this guy, 'Are you OK?' " he said. "Because you've seen a lot of bad stuff and he said, 'Yeah, I'm fine. I don't have PTSD.' But I thought, 'You don't now,' but I hope it doesn't happen to him one day." 

Thwaites is already planning his next trip to be part of another convoy later in the spring. He's hopeful that one day there will be peace in the region. Until then, he wants to do what he can to help Ukrainians live day to day life, as normal as possible. 

"It just really struck me as a place where they're standing up for something, which is very precious these days," he said. "Freedom, independence and not wanting to be invaded by a next-door neighbor country. Really being incredibly sort of brave."