April 9, 2026, 10:20 p.m.
(Oleksandr Bezverkhniy. PHOTO courtesy of the interlocutors)
Today, Oleksandr Bezverhnyi works with metal, drives a car, spends time with his family and inspires others by his own example. It's hard to believe that a year ago, doctors could not give one of the most difficult patients even minimal guarantees as to whether he would be able to sit up. The soldier was severely wounded on January 22, 2023, underwent more than 100 surgeries and has two legs amputated. But despite all the predictions, Oleksandr underwent a course of complex prosthetics in the United States and, having returned to Ukraine, is gradually adapting to civilian life both physically and mentally. His story proves that willpower and support can help overcome the most difficult challenges. Read Oleksandr' s story in an exclusive material by Intent.
"Everything is fine. I am getting used to the home environment after a long stay in the hospital. I walk on stabilizers (special low leg prostheses - ed.) and knee modules (hinge mechanisms that replace the lost knee joint in hip prostheses - ed.), and try not to use a wheelchair whenever possible. I am gradually rehabilitating myself," this is how our conversation with veteran Oleksandr Bezverhnyi begins.
The man admits that he has never sat still for as long as he can remember. He hasn't changed this habit since then. After returning home, he began to rebuild his life, transforming it to suit his own abilities and needs. The first task was to get back behind the wheel. The longest distance he has already covered is a five-hour drive from Kyiv to Ternopil.
"Fortunately, there are guys in Ukraine who are involved in re-equipping cars for people with amputated limbs. This is done quite quickly - a few hours. They install a gearbox where the gas and brake are controlled by the right hand. And that's all, there are no further problems in driving. For me, it was a matter of principle to drive again, because I have been driving all my life. Even in the service, I was a mechanic driver," says Oleksandr.
The next goal is to keep his promise to his daughter Nicole. She really wanted to introduce her father to her friends. So on the day of his arrival, Oleksandr took her to a dance class in the evening and to a kindergarten in the morning.
<span><span><span><span>Oleksandr's visit to his daughter's kindergarten. PHOTO courtesy of the interviewees</span></span></span></span>
"I thanked her teachers because my daughter shows good results in dance, she has cups and medals. It's the same in the kindergarten - she's a smart girl. I talked to the kids. Nicole was happy, and so was I. In general, I'm making up for the time I lost with my daughter because of my service, injury and rehabilitation. We play a lot - as much as my condition allows. We can draw or sit at the laptop. She also likes to show me her dances or supervise my workouts, making sure I'm doing the exercises correctly. The latter is very important to her. After all, I have to take her by the hand to the first grade in the fall," Oleksandr says with a smile.
The man's plans also included returning to work. Before the full-scale invasion, he was engaged in farming and worked as an electric welder at the Kherson Shipyard. So, having the appropriate skills to work with metal, Oleksandr decided to try his hand at making various metal products. His desire was supported by the staff of the company in Ternopil, where he worked after leaving the Russian occupation. They arranged a special workplace for him, adapted to his physical needs, and always help him in the process if necessary.
"My colleagues motivated me even more with their faith. Now I cut, weld, clean, and paint everything myself. These are 3D models, coats of arms, miniature figures. Everything is related to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. I came to this field because I used to look for something similar as a gift for military guys as a sign of respect. But it either cost a lot of money or I didn't like the way it looked. I am gradually promoting my products on social media. In the near future, I plan to hold a charity raffle of one of my works to support the army," Oleksandr says.
<span><span><span><span>Oleksandr at work with metal products. PHOTO provided by the interviewees</span></span></span></span>
The man is convinced that civilian life will definitely get better. He just needs to give himself some time for all the processes to fall into place. And his main secret of inspiration is the support of his family and friends.
This stage of Oleksandr Bezverhnyi's life was preceded by a long and equally difficult period of treatment and rehabilitation. In Ukraine, many organizations refused to take on the veteran's case. Double amputation, numerous soft tissue transplants and scars made prosthetics extremely difficult. Specialists had never encountered anything like this, so they were afraid to take on such a case. Then the family turned to the Protez Foundation clinic for advice, specifically to the company's co-founder and chief prosthetist Yakiv Gradinar.
<span><span><span><span>Oleksandr's family: wife Yulia and daughter Nicole. PHOTO provided by the interviewees</span></span></span></span>
"We went to this meeting with Nicole. And when she first saw Yakiv, she sincerely said: "I know that you will make my dad's legs." This was probably a decisive moment for Yakiv, who is a father of seven and values family relationships. He personally examined Sasha and honestly warned that he had no experience with such cases, but he would try," says Yulia Bezverhnya.
At first, Oleksandr was given a liner - a pad on the stump, and in a few weeks the first stump-receiving sleeves were made - the main individual element of the prosthesis that is in direct contact with the stump. He also began to walk with stabilizers. The man spent four months under the supervision of the Protez Foundation team in Ukraine. But for further treatment, he had to go to the United States, where there were more opportunities and specialists.
"Since my stumps had lost weight, they had to remake the stump sockets on the spot. Even with them, I was gradually raised to a higher height so that I could learn to keep my balance and get used to the height I had before the injury. Only after you start moving well in this way, you are transferred to knees (knee module - ed.) and feet. They are much heavier than the "height" tubes, so it is impossible to stand on them immediately. Redistribution of body weight, controlling them so that they don't fold, understanding the mechanism of their work - it is really difficult to walk on them," Oleksandr explains.
In the United States, Oleksandr spent three months - much less time than double amputee patients usually need. He quickly mastered the new prostheses and started walking with confidence. According to the man, their rehabilitation group was characterized by strong mutual support: the guys constantly motivated each other to practice, often encouraging them through friendly jokes and teasing. That's why everyone showed quite good results. And almost all of them returned together.
"According to Yakiv, patients with double amputations stay with them for at least six months. So Sasha showed a really great result. I would also like to note that staying abroad was not only physically important, but also beneficial morally. He overcame his fear of going out in public, gained self-confidence and stopped paying attention to stares from others," Yulia says.
Since returning to Ukraine, Oleksandr has been using stabilizers to get around, especially at home. They are lighter, more comfortable and less energy-consuming for him, and also help him develop his joints. He also uses knee modules, but less. They are much heavier, require twice as much strength and are more difficult to control due to delicate areas with transplanted tissue. So the veteran trains on his knees mostly outside, gradually getting used to the load.
"Sasha came to his daughter's friends on the knee modules. It was very emotional for both him and the children. The kids looked at his "iron" legs and asked where he got them. And at home, they told their parents that Nicole's father had returned from the war and that his legs were not like everyone else's," Yulia recalls.
Rehabilitation after prosthetics, Oleksandr points out, is a lifelong process. Even changing shoes may require reconfiguring the prostheses or getting used to walking again. After all, the different shape of the sole affects balance and movement. The fact that there is no completely barrier-free environment around complicates the rehabilitation process.
"You go outside and it's a continuous workout. A small curb or a ramp without a handrail becomes a serious obstacle that requires additional effort and causes fear of falling. By the way, when driving a car, parking is the only nuance with which I have difficulties, because there are very few specially equipped places. I often have to literally jump into a wheelchair, which creates additional inconveniences and risks. Unfortunately, our infrastructure does not yet fully take into account the needs of people with prostheses or wheelchairs," says Oleksandr.
Nowadays, the Bezverkhnykh couple is often invited to various events to speak. After all, Oleksandr's case is one of the most difficult in Ukraine, and their story proves that one should not lose hope and give up halfway through. Yulia does not hide the fact that it took them a while to come to this decision. Before, they couldn't talk about their experiences calmly - there were only tears. But over time, a period came when they were able to accept everything that had happened.
<span><span><span><span>Oleksandr and Yulia at an event as guest speakers. PHOTO courtesy of the interviewees</span></span></span></span>
"Now I want to inspire others, so that everyone believes in their own capabilities. Of course, everyone has their own difficulties. But you don't have to listen to those who say: "Everything is bad, nothing will work out." We have come a very long way: from intensive care to today's life. And we can confidently say that the most important thing is to have the conviction that everything will be fine. Then you get inner strength and faith, which give you the resources to move on," Yulia says.
Oleksandr adds: "Before, I absolutely did not want to do this. I was annoyed by the idea of having to inspire someone or be an example: "I don't want to. Why do I need it?" But over time, everything changed. We talked to Yakiv and my dad, and they explained: "Sash, you went through a state where many guys lose hope. You show that it is possible to fight and live on. You motivate us."
After that, the man started thinking about social media. In his videos, he shares his everyday life: he shows his work, training, driving, and other usual activities. His goal is simple, but extremely important: to demonstrate that even with a double amputation, one can remain independent and active. "I want the guys who look at my pages to see that life does not end. Yes, it is different, but it is there. And if I could do it, then they can do it too," Oleksandr emphasizes.
The Bezverkhnykh family has many plans for the future. One of them is for Yulia to get an engineering degree to work in the field of prosthetics. She decided to dedicate herself to this field during her stay in the United States. There she took a special training course with theoretical and practical classes.
"When Yakov saw how closely I was watching the processes and actively participating in them, he offered to take me to the prosthetics academy. There I could learn the techniques and understand how everything is made and works. I agreed at once, and gradually it took me completely over. I made my first prostheses together with Yakiv for Sasha," says Yulia.
Oleksandr warmly supports his wife's decision to change her profession. He jokes that it's great to have a prosthetist in the family. Then there will always be a specialist "at hand" and there will be no need to travel far to adjust the prostheses.
At the same time, the man himself has learned to cope with many prosthesis settings: he can twist or adjust them without any help. More complicated things, such as making or altering hip sockets, remain a task for professionals, but he does basic care on his own.
"During this time, we were able to close many important gestalts. But there are still many common dreams ahead. The most valuable of them is the opportunity to visit home, on the left bank of the Kherson region. In addition, Sasha and Nicole dream of having their own house. I am sure that we will gradually come to this as well," Yulia summarizes the conversation.
The work on this material was made possible by the Fight for Facts project, which is implemented with the financial support of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
Олег Пархітько, Яніна Надточа
April 9, 2026
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