From battlefield to podium: Ukrainian veteran inspires fellow soldiers with sport

CGTN Europe

After losing his leg to a landmine near Kherson, Mykola Zaritskyi didn’t let his injury define him. With his young daughter as his biggest motivation, he pushed through rehabilitation and turned to sports, representing Ukraine at the Invictus Games.  Now a medalist at Invictus, Zaritskyi continues to support fellow veterans through adaptive sports. He knows firsthand the power of shared experiences in recovery, and is committed to helping others rebuild their lives.  #InvictusGames #Veteran #Ukraine

Transcript

00:00We chose fire positions. I was the senior in the mortar battalion, so I chose fire positions with the guys to cover the infantry, and that's how it happened in the war.

00:12Well, at first, the first couple of seconds were everything, the war was over, but I was aware, I understood everything that was happening, I knew that life did not end there.

00:25I really wanted to help the guys and be useful to the army, but then, during the rehabilitation, it began to grow into a sport.

00:36I found out about Invictus, took part in the Ukrainian selection, got into the Ukrainian national team, went to Invictus Germany, to Germany.

00:49There I took the prize places and, as if with my own example, now I promote such an adaptive veteran sport.

00:58Well, I have a daughter, who is probably one of my biggest motivators, and when I was still without a prosthesis, she came to me in the hospital.

01:09When I went out on the streets, she ran a little ahead, was still small, and clung and fell.

01:15I was so sorry for her that I could not help her at that moment, so it was a motivation for me to stand on my feet.

01:24I think I fully fulfill my parental duties and will do everything for her happy childhood.

01:32I am not ashamed to tell my child what I do after a full-scale tour.

01:39I do not regret it at all. I know where I was, what I did, what could have happened to me, both worse and more.

01:51After all, a light injury is what makes a real man beautiful.

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