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Writer's pictureMaksym Turkevych

YURIY MYSAK

Updated: Sep 28


This patient provided consent for the use of their image, name, and personal story. 


Imagine your hands failing to work. They are rendered nearly useless by the scars covering them. These wounds, seemingly healed, restrict you at every turn, making even the simplest tasks–like getting dressed or holding silverware–an exhausting struggle. 


Can you imagine not being able to hold a spoon? 

Yuriy Mysak doesn’t need to. 


Two years ago, on July 14th, Yuriy suffered serious burns on 65% of his body. 


On that dreadful day, Russian cruise missiles struck the heart of Vinnytsia, his hometown. of Vinnytsia. These burns became scars: a constant reminder of that horrific, life-defining moment. Now, his greatest solace is his wife, who stands by him through it all. 


He will forever remember the date his life changed forever. 


Yuriy will never forget the day his life changed forever. It was a typical workday in mid-July and he was working on his favorite assignment. Then the air raid siren sounded. He headed to the bomb shelter. On the way, he briefly stopped by a friend’s car to say hello. Both thought they had time,  but the attack was already upon them. 


Now, imagine this: one moment, you are sitting in the relative comfort of a car–and the next, you regain consciousness only to find yourself lying on the asphalt beside it. For Yuriy, these two moments were separated by a brief blackout; he was conscious but had no memory of how he ended up on the ground near the car. All he remembers is an immense shadow rapidly approaching–and then, total darkness. 


The shockwave was so powerful that it moved cars as if they were toys. 

In the face of this incredible force, people were mere grains of sand. 


Upon coming to his senses after the initial moment of shock, Yuriy attempted to rise from the pavement. About the moments immediately proceeding these, he later recalled: 


Around me I see what they show in movies–it’s like slow motion: fire, screams, alarms, cars, everything is falling, everything is burning. There’s a ringing in my ears and a taste of iron in my mouth. My eardrums were ruptured from the explosion. And the only thought in my head: this is definitely the end.


Fortunately, contained within every end is a beginning. So in moments like these, each new awareness underscores the preciousness of life. Yuriy and the friend he had stopped to chat with managed to escape the immediate danger, but their ordeal was far from over. 


Their clothes, already scorched by the explosion, were burning on their bodies. Their pants were completely consumed by flame and their shirts had ignited from every edge–from the sleeves to the hem, where the largest burns appeared. Yuriy, still in a state of shock, was still unaware of the full extent of his injuries. He didn’t yet feel the pain. The discomfort arrived when the sun’s rays hit his raw skin and exacerbated the burns; and even then, he only noticed when he noticed the appearance of his hands changing as burned tatters of skin began to hang from his fingertips.


Shortly afterward, Yuriy managed to reach a nearby hospital. The doctors were astonished that he had arrived in stable condition, given the severity of his injuries. He had extensive burns, significant damage to his skull, and a concussion so severe it constituted a traumatic brain injury. From there, he was transferred to Pirohov Regional Hospital, then to another facility in Lviv, and ultimately to Poland, where he received treatment for over a month. 


However, it was upon his return that the true hell began. The scars started to grow, and the pain was unimaginable. For more than a month, this agony was a constant presence in his life. 


Then, purely by chance, Yuriy stumbled upon a social media post from Neopalymi. 

The post in question described how our organization assists both Ukrainian civilians and military personnel whose lives have been devastated by the ongoing genocidal war waged by Russia. Seeing a slight glimmer of hope, Yuriy filled out a form and is now undergoing treatment. 


He describes this process as preparation for reentering society. Today, he sees himself as a human being about half of the time. He admits: “My wife winds me up like a key–dressing me, putting on my shoes, helping me with everything. If my skin weren’t so prone to scarring, I would have been healthy long ago.” 

Unfortunately, inflammation is still present in his scars, rendering them unsuitable for laser treatments. So, for now, the only possible assistance is through injections and other rehabilitative measures. 


He, an injured man, is profoundly grateful to be alive. Being only a dozen meters (around 36 feet) from the explosion’s epicenter, his survival was nothing short of a miracle. Yet, surviving the blast was only the first step. The next crucial phase took place in the hospital, where meeting his particular needs has often posed a significant challenge. 


Today, Yuriy wishes to express his deepest gratitude to his wife. His highest aspiration is simply to recover and be like everyone else. The depression he sometimes feels is intertwined with a deep sense of gratitude: to God, to the doctors, and to his loved ones–all of whom saved his life. “Others weren’t nearly as lucky as I was, so I am determined to live on and contribute as much as humanly possible to my society and family,” he recently shared with our staff.


He believes that help often comes from the most unexpected places and people, reflecting, “There are people with whom we may have crossed paths only once, or not encountered in person at all. They owe me nothing, and I owe them nothing–yet, their support was colossal, both financially and morally. My story should serve as an example that people ought to help one another. Someday, I will repay these people with my work.”


Yuriy’s experience is a powerful reminder that our society–and humanity in general– is far from heartless. We simply need to recognize the good that often goes unnoticed or otherwise taken for granted. Even in the darkest situations, there are unexpected points of light; compassion and kindness often shine through when we least expect it. As Yuriy wisely put it, “We must never forget to help one another, for it is in these acts of kindness that we find true strength and hope. After all, we are all given exactly what we can get through.”

we can handle."


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