At only 23 years old, Oksana's world was already turbulent. Her home country of Ukraine was invaded by Russian troops on February 24, but it was a fateful day on March 20 that changed Oksana's life when a mine exploded and caused her to lose both legs and a finger.
Undeterred, Victor, her long-time boyfriend and now fiance would not let this physical injury alter his deep love for Oksana, and as of May 1, the two have become man and wife, living in Lviv.
"It seemed like a matter of seconds...she was blown up," Victor recalls on that tragic day in late March. "If not for Oksana, I don’t know what would have happened. She is so strong. She didn't even lose consciousness. It was Oksana who coordinated all our actions. When all this happened, my hands just went wild. I didn't know what to do."
Oksana and Victor have two children, and Oksana's thoughts in the hospital quickly turned to them.
"I have two children, I don’t want them to see me as an invalid. I didn't want anyone in my family to be a burden. But nevertheless, thanks to my support, I came to terms with it. You have to move on, life doesn't end there. If God left me alive in such a case, then it is destined to be so," a determined Oksana said while recognizing her huge fear.
"We will live for the sake of the children. I really don’t know, I want to return to our city of Lysychansk. But honestly, I'm afraid for the children. Because the war will end, how many more will there be if the path here was mined," Oksana said.
Oksana and Victor joyfully danced at their wedding, a small affair with family and friends.
"I don’t care about injuries. I will carry her in my arms until we go to Germany for prosthetics," Victor said.
...She is a 23-year-old nurse from Lysychansk. She has no legs and four fingers. A mine exploded near Oksana in 27 March. A week ago, an evacuation train brought her to Lviv. Victor, who came after his beloved, decided to prove he needs her! And he doesn’t care about injuries. He will carry her in his arms❤️ at least until the prosthesis is installed)
Oksana and Victor: We are worried, after all they are not around (children). We worry, we miss. Well, there are no such feelings that something will happen to them, but all the same, such excitement is present. They didn’t come to us in Dnipro, grandfather brought them. They just arrived and a day later we were evacuated. Therefore, we walked along the Dnipro for a couple of hours.
Victor: A good chance to get back on your feet. The children were upset that the children did not see their mother. And they explained.
Oksana: Everything will be fine with us. We are strong. We can handle everything.
Doctor: Good afternoon, Oksana. How are you doing? Everything is fine?
- Yes
- Bandages?
Oksana: I saw a shell sticking out of the ground. And I wanted to show him. I turn half a turn and only managed to shout “Zaya, look.” And he looks, and I fly up. I fell face down on the ground, I had an incredible rumble in my head. Then I rolled over, started tearing my clothes, trying to tear my clothes. I thought it would be easier to breathe that way. I didn't have enough air. The husband immediately ran up, began to provide first aid. Called an ambulance. The ambulance said, we won’t go to take her out of there, we will wait for the Ministry of Emergency Situations (rescuers) to take me out, my husband said that it would take too long. And he himself with my stepfather carried me to the ambulance.
Victor: It all happened to me, it seemed like a matter of seconds. She was blown up, and then it was already some period. If not for Oksana, I don’t know what would have happened. She is so strong. She didn't even lose consciousness. It was Oksana who coordinated all our actions. When all this happened, my hands just went wild. I didn't know what to do. Because I look - she does not move. But some seconds passed, she began to move, I ran up to her, turned her over, she shouted “Call an ambulance”, we immediately called an ambulance. This is all at the initiative of Oksana
Oksana: And I saw my mother. While still in the hospital, I screamed “Mommy,” although I don’t remember it anymore. The operation - I do not know honestly how long it lasted. I had 4 surgeries at once. This is the amputation of the limbs of the lower third of the thigh, the amputation of 4 fingers on the left hand. Shock of the 3rd degree was still there. And when I came to my senses, my mother and husband did not leave me.
I didn't want to live at all. I asked that I don’t want to live like this, I have two children, I don’t want them to see me as an invalid. I didn't want anyone in my family to be a burden. But nevertheless, thanks to my support, I came to terms with it. You have to move on, life doesn't end there. If God left me alive in such a case, then it is destined to be so.
Honestly, we have been thinking about this for a long time, but somehow it never came to that. And then they decided - so, quickly.
God willing, we hope that in the near future we will get to Germany for rehabilitation and prosthetics. And then back to the kids. Our children with my parents are in the Poltava region. And we will live for the sake of the children. I really don’t know, I want to return to our city of Lisichansk. But honestly, I'm afraid for the children. Because the war will end, how many more will there be if the path here was mined. Therefore scary.
was afraid to lose. I wanted to cry, but I couldn't.
