Veteran. Served in Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) zone in East Ukraine from April 09, 2014, to March 25, 2015
I served with the 51st Separate Mechanized Brigade, 3rd Communications Platoon of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. I was a driver.
I was injured passing through the “green corridor.” We were given the command that the green corridor was open and we moved forward. We drove 5 kilometres when the shelling began.
I suffered mine explosion injuries, fractures and deafness in my left ear.
I was sent to Zaporizhzhya, then Dnipropetrovsk, military hospitals, city hospitals.
The rehabilitation process was difficult. I could only walk for 15 minutes at a time and then had to lie down for three hours. It took me a year to get stronger. I went to physical therapy. I joined the gym.
Exercise motivates you. You forget about your health problems.
Honestly, social integration is a big problem. Some people will point fingers and treat you with disrespect. I want to show them that disabled people deserve respect. I want to show them there’s nothing I can’t overcome.
At the Invictus Games, we will prove that we are like everyone else. We are invincible!
