Ukrainian Amputee’s: The Inspirational Role of His Wife’s Voice
Serhiy, a 27-year-old Ukrainian soldier, faced a life-altering experience after his vehicle hit a Russian anti-tank mine near Mariinka nine months into Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The catastrophic injuries left him unable to see, speak, or feel his legs. During weeks of regaining consciousness in a Kyiv hospital bed, he found solace in the voice of his wife, Valeria, who provided comfort amid the darkness and panic.
Having served as a soldier since before the war, Serhiy was thrust into combat from the first day of the conflict in February 2022. Weeks often passed without communication with Valeria, who remained in Kyiv. The life-changing incident occurred in November 2022 when an explosion hit the vehicle carrying eight soldiers. The blast caused extensive injuries, including a broken spine, pelvis, nose, eye sockets, open-skull brain injury, severe burns, fractured thigh, and the loss of both lower legs.
Although Serhiy can’t recall the events of that day, Valeria vividly remembers seeing him in the hospital, connected to various tubes and unresponsive. Her initial relief at his survival was accompanied by the shock of the extent of his injuries. Serhiy regained consciousness after 20 days in a coma, followed by a lengthy recovery process involving intensive care, a traumatic injuries unit, and months of rehabilitation.
Maintaining a stoic attitude toward his injuries, Serhiy considers losing both legs preferable to losing one arm. Valeria, a former dentist, humorously remarks, “A blind, legless husband – it’s not so bad,” expressing relief that he didn’t lose his teeth. Recently, Serhiy received the devastating news that he had entirely lost his eyesight despite hopes of saving a fraction of his remaining sight during a trip to the US.
Undeterred by the challenges, Serhiy and Valeria remain hopeful for the future. Serhiy envisions dedicating his life to advocating for and assisting fellow injured soldiers. He plans to launch two organizations focused on supporting wounded veterans, including one aimed at building infrastructure for their post-war lives.
The toll of the conflict on both Ukrainian and Russian soldiers remains unreported by the respective nations. Still, US officials, as quoted by the New York Times, estimated 70,000 dead and up to 120,000 injured soldiers as of August 2023. Despite Serhiy’s assertion that his injuries haven’t changed him, Valeria believes he has become more responsible, extending his sense of responsibility from his family and military unit to encompass the entire country and all of Ukraine.
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