Soldier Ihor Hryhoriiev, call sign FOOTBALLER

My name is Ihor Hryhoriiev, call sign FOOTBALLER. I wasn’t born a soldier. Like many of us, I had my dreams, hobbies, and an ordinary life. But when Russia brought war to our land, I couldn’t stand aside. At the beginning of the full-scale invasion, I was in Spain, but my thoughts were at home.

In the summer of 2023, I made the only right choice: I returned to Ukraine and joined the 38th Separate Marine Brigade.

At first, I served in the Kherson direction, then in Donetsk. In the fall of 2024, our group was redeployed closer to Pokrovsk. It was there, near the village of Mykolaivka, that my life changed forever.

During an assault, we captured an enemy bunker and were waiting for further orders. Everything was as usual: comrades nearby, weapons ready, a cool mind calculating the next steps like a computer. But in a second, everything turned upside down—a grenade was thrown at our feet. An explosion. Sharp pain. Shrapnel tore through both of my legs.

I didn’t fully realize the scale of the disaster, I just acted on instinct—applied tourniquets to stop the bleeding. My comrades began the evacuation. It was hell—six long hours under fire, in the mud, with unbearable pain. In Dnipro, the doctors told me there was no chance to save my legs. Amputation.

The first days after hearing that decision were the hardest. You wake up—and your legs are gone. You want to stand—but you can’t. But then comes the realization: life goes on. And if I survived there, it means I have to keep fighting.

Now I need rehabilitation to prepare for prosthetics. This is my main battle because I don’t just want to walk—I want to return to a normal life, to be strong and independent. A specialized recovery course at the “Western Rehabilitation and Sports Center” of NCSIU can help me with this.

But rehabilitation costs money—a lot of money. That’s why I’m forced to ask for help. I’ve been through war, survived hell, and now my dream is simply to move forward.

Your support is not just assistance; it’s faith in me, in us, in our country.

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Thanks to the support of caring people, Ihor has completed a 30-day rehabilitation course at the "Western Rehabilitation and Sports Center" of NCSIU and achieved excellent results:

He has mastered the skills of using an active wheelchair, making him more independent in mobility.
His mobility level on the WST Form 4.2 scale increased from 43 to 61 out of 64 points!
He learned to overcome curbs up to 10 cm high (15 cm still requires further training).
He can now descend stairs with assistance – a huge step toward independence.

His strength has significantly improved:

• Wingate Test (30 seconds) – increased from 120 W to 145 W
• Maximum power – increased from 160 W to 205 W

This is an incredible achievement! There is still a long road ahead, and specialists recommend continuing active rehabilitation for social and daily life adaptation, as well as consulting prosthetists-orthotists regarding further prosthetics.

A huge thank you to everyone who contributed!

• To the rehabilitation specialists who worked with Ihor daily, providing both physical and moral support.
• To everyone who donated, shared information, and helped in any way. You have given Ihor a chance at a fulfilling life!

New challenges lie ahead, but with this kind of support, there is strong faith in the future!
 

COLLECTED AND TRANSFERRED: UAH 90,000