Who Was Katya Hill? Brother of former Edinboro professor killed in Ukraine

Following the death of a family member in Ukraine, a former local university professor and her family are grieving.

Katya Hill is well-known in the Erie community, having spent time at Edinboro University teaching students. However, she recently taught us about her brother’s selflessness, who was recently killed in Ukraine.

Hill was a professor at Edinboro University for many years, where she taught a large number of students. Hill took the opportunity to speak about her brother James “Jimmy” Hill, who died in Ukraine as a result of the violence.

“The tragedy in Ukraine claimed the life of my brother Jimmy. “Despite initial reports that he was killed in a bread line, the state department informed us that he was killed by a Russian bomb,” Katya Hill, James “Jimmy” Hill’s sister, said.

Hill sees her brother as a positive influence and a helper because he stood in bread lines with Ukrainians, brought goods back, and tried to assist families in escaping Chernihiv.

She remembers the tragic event that changed her family’s lives forever.

“Katrina and Jimmy had gone out to see if they could find buses that would take people out of Chernihiv on a safe route. Over a thousand people were waiting to get on a bus to get out when they arrived in line. So my brother decided to turn around and return to Irina’s side at the hospital, and that’s when the bomb went off,” Hill explained.

The state department has yet to contact Jimmy’s family to inform them of the location of his remains. If at all possible, the Hill family is seeking assistance in bringing Jimmy’s remains home.