A son’s harrowing secret

A son’s harrowing secret <!--mynz:youtube-chapters--> {"v":1,"chapters":[{"timeSeconds":12,"label":"Mother's Distress at Son's Secret","summary":"Mary Spencer describes the sound of a doorbell as something that triggers her, revealing her distress about her son's secret. She expresses her fear and inability to process the situation."},{"timeSeconds":20,"label":"Police Visit and Revelation","summary":"A police officer visited Mary Spencer in December, ringing her doorbell. The officer asked if she was the mother of Samuel Haines, which she confirmed."},{"timeSeconds":37,"label":"Samuel Haines's Journey to Ukraine","summary":"Samuel Haines, 22, traveled to Ukraine without military or combat experience. He became an elite soldier there, a fact his parents were unaware of."},{"timeSeconds":55,"label":"Samuel's Background and Interests","summary":"Samuel grew up on Auckland's North Shore and attended Westlake Boys High School. He was described as cheerful, creative, and having a sense of humor, with a love for airsoft."},{"timeSeconds":106,"label":"Airsoft and Tactical Skills","summary":"Footage shows individuals engaged in an airsoft game, with one person demonstrating tactical movement. The video suggests this may have been where Samuel honed his skills."},{"timeSeconds":137,"label":"The Deception of an 'Intelligence Job'","summary":"Samuel told his parents he was going to Poland for an intelligence job. This was a deception, as he was actually joining the Azov International Brigade."},{"timeSeconds":154,"label":"Enlistment in Ukraine","summary":"In January 2025, Samuel enlisted in the Azov Brigade International, a unit that was part of the Ukrainian forces. He was part of a team that had been training together."},{"timeSeconds":202,"label":"Parents' Discovery of the Truth","summary":"It took months for Samuel's parents to discover the truth about his involvement in Ukraine. They would have reacted with shock and dismay if they had known he was fighting."}]} <!--/mynz:youtube-chapters-->