A fragment of an enemy shell hit Dmytro Osypenko, a 32-year-old soldier from Dnipro, directly in the back and immobilised half of his body.
Currently, the defender is undergoing rehabilitation at the UNBROKEN centre, where he is learning to live with the consequences of his injury and, at the same time, making every effort to stand on his feet.
Before the full-scale invasion began, Dmytro had his own car business. When the great war began, he decided that as soon as he had settled all his business affairs, he would immediately mobilise. A month later, he joined the Marines.
In the summer of 2023, he took part in counter-offensive operations in Donetsk region, where the Defence Forces managed to liberate several settlements. That’s where he was wounded – in the village of Staromayorske. It was in August. On that day, Dmytro’s unit was closely covered by enemy artillery. The defender was waiting for the fire in a dug “hole” – a small trench for one soldier. When a plane flew by, Dmytro immediately felt that he could not move his legs.
The soldier was evacuated in critical condition, with his back and sternum punctured and bleeding.
The first operations to remove the debris were carried out in Dnipro and Kyiv. Then he underwent rehabilitation abroad. And for the last three months, the defender has been recovering in Lviv at the UNBROKEN National Rehabilitation Centre.
Despite a complex mine-blast injury and a hit directly to the back, the defender’s spinal cord is intact. So Dmytro can feel his lower limbs a little bit and can stand on his feet. Physical therapists are actively working with spasticity – increased muscle tone. The man can not only stand but also walk a few steps on his own. However, unfortunately, it is impossible to return to the physical shape he had before the injury. That is why Dmytro has to use a wheelchair for long distances.
Dmytro dreams of becoming as independent and active as possible. He also wants to find a peaceful place for his family – his wife and 7-year-old son – to live as soon as possible, as their hometown of Dnipro is under constant enemy attack.
Reference.
The UNBROKEN National Rehabilitation Centre is a unique place where adults and children affected by the war receive comprehensive, qualified medical care. This includes reconstructive surgery, orthopaedics and robotic prosthetics. Not only are prostheses fitted to the victims, but they are also manufactured here. The centre also provides physical, psychological and psychosocial rehabilitation for injured military and civilians. The centre’s goal is to ensure that people with war injuries do not have to go abroad for treatment, but can be rescued, prosthetically rehabilitated and rehabilitated in Ukraine.