The mother of Willy Cancel, the military contractor who grew up in the Hudson Valley and died last week fighting in Ukraine, gave CNN an interview over the weekend in which she said he was proud to be fighting "alongside the underdogs."

"He always stepped up to the plate. He just had a high moral value," said Cancel's mom, Rebecca Cabrera, who added her son always dreamed of fighting for his country.

Cancel graduated from Newburgh Free Academy in 2017 and immediately enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. The Marines discharged Cancel after he was charged with violating a general order.

Cancel's family said he was working for a private military contracting company which asked him to go to Ukraine in March to serve alongside Ukrainian forces.

Cabrera said he was inspired by the Ukrainian people’s fight.

"Even before he left to go to Ukraine, he was proud because he wanted to do the right thing and fight alongside the underdogs," she said. "He believed in what they were fighting for. It was just something that hit to his heart."

Cabrera also said they have not yet found her son’s body.

Pentagon officials strongly advise Americans not to go to the active war zone that is Ukraine. They instead ask people to donate to the American Red Cross to help the effort.