Soldier Vitalii Ostash, call sign is SOKIL

On March 3, 2022, I voluntarily joined the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. I served in the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade in the position of mortar crew commander. When the war came to our land, I could not stand aside. I believed and still believe that defending your country, your native land, and your loved ones is the duty of every man.

I sustained a severe wound while carrying out a combat mission near the settlement of Orikhovo-Vasylivka in Bakhmut district of Donetsk Oblast. The traumatic brain injury caused left-sided hemiparesis, and I lost consciousness. First aid was provided to me by my fellow soldiers, who, despite the danger, did not abandon me and continued to carry out the combat mission.

I was first evacuated to a hospital in Sloviansk, then to Dnipro, where doctors performed a craniotomy. After my condition stabilized, I was transferred to Kyiv. There I remained in a coma for two weeks.

I was subsequently directed to Lviv. There the first stage of my rehabilitation began and a protective plate was installed. Thanks to the treatment and persistent work, my condition improved significantly, but much effort still lies ahead.

Today my main goals are to improve my walking and restore mobility in my left arm. For this I need to undergo specialized rehabilitation at the “Western Rehabilitation and Sports Center” of the NCSPI. This is an opportunity to become more independent, regain control over my own body, and take one more important step toward a full life.

In 2022 I stood up to defend Ukraine. And today I myself need support.

I have plans for the future. I want to fully recover, enroll at a university, and obtain an education in the field of Electrical Engineering. And most of all I dream of running again — the way I could before the wound.

 

COLLECTING: UAH 90,000