Soldier Dmytro Tumanov, call sign TUMAN
I am Dmytro Tumanov, but my comrades know me as TUMAN. I am 42 years old. Last year, I sustained a severe injury in battle, and now my biggest dream is to learn how to walk again.
I was born and lived in Nova Kakhovka. When the full-scale invasion began, I had to evacuate through occupied Crimea to Poland. But I couldn’t stay abroad; I couldn’t live peacefully while my country was burning in the flames of war. In March 2023, I returned to Ukraine and voluntarily enlisted in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
I served in the 41st Separate Mechanized Brigade as a senior rifleman-operator. During my service, I experienced four concussions, but each time I returned to duty at the military unit stationed in Kupiansk.
On November 18, 2023, in Synkivka, Kupiansk district, during a combat mission, I sustained a severe blast injury.
As a result:
‒ shrapnel-induced penetrating head injury,
‒ open craniocerebral trauma,
‒ brain contusion,
‒ ʼcoma of grades 1–2.
I hardly remember anything from that day. My comrades said they dragged me from place to place all night until I was finally evacuated. I was in a coma for a month. Then came hospitals—Kharkiv, Kyiv, Uzhhorod… Surgeries, pain, uncertainty. Amnesia.
I was considered missing in action. My family searched for me for two months—calling the unit, hospitals, medical facilities—but couldn’t find me. It was only thanks to my rehabilitation therapist in Uzhhorod, Kateryna Oleksandrivna, that my sister and brother found out I was alive. I didn’t know they were looking for me, and they didn’t know I was in critical condition in a hospital.
Kateryna Oleksandrivna didn’t give up—day after day, she tried to get me to recall the names of my relatives, searched for them on social media, made calls. And you know what? She succeeded! She messaged my ex-wife, whose name I had recalled, and my sister, but they were in occupied territory. Later, I remembered another sister who was in Ukrainian-controlled territory.
The doctor found my sister and brother and informed them that I was in the hospital in Uzhhorod. She even found my son (he’s in the military), who happened to be in the same city while I was there. Before New Year’s, they all came to see me. I barely remembered anything, but when I saw them, I understood: I am not alone; they were waiting for me, they were looking for me.
On February 21, 2024, I underwent surgery—defect reconstruction with a titanium plate implant. The post-operative period went without complications.
After that, I underwent the Military Medical Commission. I was fully discharged from military service and removed from the military registry. I now have a first-degree disability. Due to my injury, the left side of my body is non-functional, and I cannot walk or move independently. I live with my brother in Lviv region. The doctors say there’s a chance, but I need long-term and continuous rehabilitation.
I want to walk!
These aren’t just words. This is my deepest wish. I want to regain the ability to live independently.
The next crucial step is rehabilitation at the "Western Rehabilitation and Sports Center" of the NCSIU. Thanks to Kateryna Oleksandrivna’s support, I already have the opportunity to go there. But I need help—it’s expensive, and I can’t manage it alone. I am forced to reach out to donors to help me stand on my feet again.
I fought for Ukraine. Now I’m fighting for the ability to walk. Together—we will win!
Thank you to everyone who is by my side. Your support is my future.
COLLECTED AND TRANSFERRED: UAH 90,000
Dmytro has completed his first 30-day rehabilitation course. The results are impressive!
Over the past month, he has made incredible progress in restoring his motor skills. The rehabilitation team is confident in his continued success and recommends another 30-day course to reinforce the results and bring him as close as possible to independent, active living.
Objective improvement indicators:
1. “Four Squares” Test (Obstacle Navigation):
‒ At the beginning – 4 minutes
‒ After 25 days – 1 minute 23 seconds
Progress: 3x improvement!
2. 6-Minute Walk Test:
‒ At the start – 15 meters with significant assistance from a specialist
‒ After 25 days – 75 meters (minimal assistance, using a four-point cane, orthosis, and knee brace)
Progress: 5x improvement!
Other important improvements:
1) Significant increase in speed and balance
2) Major improvements in daily independence:
‒ Transfers from wheelchair to bed independently
‒ Takes full care of himself in the shower
‒ Dresses himself without assistance
Next major goal: walking 200 meters independently!
The rehabilitation team sees a clear path to Dmytro’s full independence. But to achieve this, he needs another rehabilitation course!
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Thanks to your support, Dmytro completed two full 30-day rehabilitation courses at the Western Rehabilitation and Sports Center of the National Committee for Sports of the Disabled of Ukraine (NCSIU) from February 3 to April 3, 2025. And in those 60 days, he proved that the path to recovery is possible when the whole country stands behind you.
What was accomplished during rehabilitation:
- 104 hours of one-on-one physical therapy,
- 45 hours of occupational therapy,
- 20 hours of neuropsychologist consultations,
- 80 hours of recreational therapy.
The focus was on the main goal — restoring Dmytro’s independence in daily life, including:
- Regaining walking ability (with assistive devices),
- Improving endurance and balance,
- Reducing fall risk,
- Becoming more self-sufficient at home.
The rehabilitation results are inspiring:
- “Get Up and Go” test: from 138 sec → 29 sec
- 10-meter walk test: from 0.28 m/s → 0.4 m/s
- 6-minute walk test: from 15 m → 91 m independently, 156 m with minimal support
- Berg Balance Scale: from 7 points → 29 out of 56
- Dynamic Gait Index: from 0 points → 11 out of 24
In addition, motor control of the knee improved significantly, and mobility and self-care skills increased greatly.
What’s next?
The Center’s specialists note: the rehabilitation goals have been reached, but the journey continues. Dmytro now needs:
- Continued individualized rehab,
- Home environment adaptation,
- Ongoing support from local professionals.
From the bottom of our hearts, we thank the entire rehabilitation team for their professionalism, patience, and belief in Dmytro. Your contribution is priceless.
Huge thanks also to everyone who donated, shared the campaign, or offered words of encouragement. Thanks to you, Dmytro has a real chance at living fully again — and he’s already made a huge step forward. More will follow.
Thank you to each and every one of you. You are the true strength of this country.
COLLECTED AND TRANSFERRED: UAH 90,000
TOTAL COLLECTED AND TRANSFERRED: UAH 180,000