The war took Yevheniy Dmytrenko’s leg, but not his faith in the possibility of living a full life. After being wounded in the Kherson region, undergoing rehabilitation and receiving a prosthetic leg, he returned home, set up a barrier-free space for himself, learned to walk kilometers on his prosthetic leg, and obtained a driver’s license. His story is one of recovery, independence, and life that goes on despite loss.
War, injury, and amputation that did not become a death sentence
Before serving in the army, he lived a normal life in Cherkasy: he worked at an elevator and renovated his own house. In 2022, he received a military draft notice. However, due to his health condition, he did not pass the military medical commission, so the Territorial Recruitment Center (TRC) informed him that they would contact him if necessary.
For about another six months, until January 2023, he continued working until he received a notice to show up at the military recruitment center. He then served in the 38th Marine Brigade, where he was wounded during an assault in the Kherson direction.
“I remember being evacuated to Kherson with a severely injured right leg, which was later amputated, broken fingers on my left hand, and shrapnel in my body. Then I ended up in Odesa, but I don’t remember how that happened. I only remember waking up in the hospital’s intensive care unit and seeing the sun shining brightly through the window,” Yevheniy recalled. In addition to losing a limb, he now has poor hearing in his right ear as a result of the concussion he suffered.
He spent more than a month in the hospital, and after treatment, he underwent long-term rehabilitation and prosthetics at the “Recovery” rehabilitation center.
“As soon as I got my prosthesis, I immediately started going to the sea, and my friends and I often liked to visit the dolphinarium or ride horses. Sometimes, when my legs rubbed against the prostheses, we used taxis. Although the drivers did not want to take money out of respect, I felt pity, and it was not very pleasant for me. I believe that you have to pay for a service.”
According to the veteran, thanks to the coordinated work of the TRC staff and doctors, the process of obtaining disability status was not difficult for him. He was treated humanely and correctly at all stages.
He created accessibility for himself with a little help from the League of the Strong
During rehabilitation, Yevheniy tried using a wheelchair and realized how difficult it was. Once, a specialist suggested going to the sea in wheelchairs, but by the time Yevheniy had made the journey, he felt like an overheated car. That is why he is trying to improve his walking skills on prostheses, because there are still many barriers for people who use wheelchairs.
At the rehabilitation center, Yevheniy noticed an accessible shower and, after returning home, installed the same one in his own house. According to him, it was difficult to get out of the bathtub even with a special lightweight prosthesis designed for water procedures, so he had to replace it with a barrier-free shower. He also recently finished installing handrails on the porch of his house.
As part of the Empower Ukraine project from the League of the Strong public organization, Yevheniy received financial assistance and a bath chair.
“I immediately spent the money on support straps for my prosthesis. My limb was amputated quite high up, so the prosthesis is secured with a special neoprene strap. Since I have a very active lifestyle, I wear out three of these support straps a year. I am especially grateful for the bath chair, because it is sometimes difficult for a person with an amputated leg to get up from any chair, so a chair with height adjustment is an extremely useful and necessary aid that allows me to easily perform all my daily tasks independently, without outside help,” the veteran said.
Flowers, pine needles, cats, and driving school — Yevheniy’s new life
“I also remember the date palms: I often looked at these trees, because since 2021, I have also been growing a small palm tree from a seed in a pot at home. I actually love growing plants,” Yevheniy shares his memories.
Now he devotes a lot of time to his health and full recovery. To stay in shape, he plays sports and learns to walk longer distances on a hydraulic prosthesis. He can already walk about two kilometers in 45 minutes on his prosthesis and considers this a great achievement given the high amputation. At home, Yevheniy bought himself a mat and various exercise machines for his back, neck, and legs, so now he repeats the exercises he did during rehabilitation every day.
After physical exercise, he rests and then goes for a walk. His yard now has 25 varieties of roses, differing in color and shape, as well as about 20 species of conifers. Thuja, cypress, yew, and pine trees grow near the house.
“It’s so nice to look at them, because their needles stay green all year round, unlike deciduous trees. It’s good that I’ve run out of space, because I would probably plant something new (smiles), and that’s not cheap. And now it’s become more difficult for me to take care of my roses, so I plan to reduce their number a little,” says Yevheniy.
In the yard and beyond, he is always accompanied by one of his Siamese cats, Dotsya, who hisses at all dogs that approach them. He adds that he always finds things to do: he might go to the store or drive to the district center.
“I’ve noticed that our society is almost ready for people with prosthetics. I’m really touched by how Ukrainians treat me. For example, at the bank, they always let me skip the line, or when I’m walking down the street, people carefully walk around me so they don’t bump into me, and that’s really nice,” the veteran notes.
Yevheniy recently obtained his driver’s license. He mastered the practical part in Kyiv at a driving school for people with disabilities, which operates under the National Academy of Internal Affairs as part of the “Without Barriers” project.
“After returning from the war, I was eager to learn how to drive a car. I took the theory test on traffic rules in Cherkasy. Then I went to Kyiv to gain practical skills. I was very nervous. But all my worries disappeared as soon as I got my driver’s license,” the veteran said.
Flying abroad from Boryspil Airport — dreams and plans
“After rehabilitation, I was very sad that I couldn’t continue working at my job. I was indeed offered a job as a security guard at Elevator, but I realized that it would be quite difficult for me to cope with all the responsibilities,” the veteran said.
He notes that if he lived in the city, he would have more access to various opportunities for veterans. At the same time, he is not thinking about work yet, because, according to him, the state supports veterans, and the funds he receives are enough for him to live on.
Yevheniy’s biggest dream is our victory and a flight abroad on a passenger plane from Boryspil Airport.
“I feel sorry for our people, who have had to fight for so many generations… I really want the war to end with our victory. I advise all veterans who have returned not to lose their optimism and to appreciate the fact that they are alive. The rest depends on them, and there will always be opportunities and good people!” said Yevheniy.
Author: Tamila Koval