DWTS dancer Denys Samson ‘really scared’ about his mother and aunt in Ukraine

Professional dancer Denys Samson has shared his support for his friends and family in his native country, revealing the dancers in Ukraine Dancing with the Stars have joined the fight against Russia

Erica Cody and Denys Samson during the Dancing With The Stars live show. 

"My friends signed for the military,” professional dancer Denys Samson told Jennifer Zamparelli on 2FM, adding the dancers he was with on the show have gone to war.

“I was with them in Ukraine Dancing with the Stars this summer, we were dancing, we were performing, and now they are actually with the guns, full of equipment, and they go for the war.” Samson said his mother and aunt are together in his home city of Odessa and would need to pass through Kyiv to get to the border.

"I'm really scared for their lives" he said.

"They are sitting together only the two of them at home. They need to cross the whole country to get there, and I don't want this for the moment."

Samson, who is partnered with singer Erica Cody on Dancing with the Stars Ireland, said his mother wanted him to keep going on the show: "This makes her happy, it makes her proud of me and helps her to stay strong.” He also thanked the people of Ireland for their messages of support and their donations.

On Sunday evening’s show, Samson became tearful as he spoke about the situation. “Everybody knows what’s happening in Ukraine. My family's there, my friends,” he said. “We are strong, we will not give up. I want to say thank you to Ireland, to Dublin, to Dancing with the Stars, to the crew, to the producers, to everybody for supporting me this week.”