Minnesota prosthetics nonprofit helping wounded Ukrainian soldiers get back on their feet
MINNEAPOLIS -- It's been a year since the invasion of Ukraine.
During that time, there has been a steady stream of arrivals at at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport of wounded Ukrainian soldiers coming to Minnesota for medical care and hope.
For Daniil Melnyk, 20, arriving in Minnesota was the start of his new chapter.
Yakov Gradinar and his team at the Protez Foundation have fitted 43 soldiers like Melnyk for prosthetics.
"You see them arriving the first day on wheelchairs, and in a few days they are walking, they are getting better. They start relaxing a little bit and start smiling, and that reward is priceless," said Gradinar.
More than 700 people are on the waiting list to come to Minnesota for this care.
Gradinar, a former doctor in Ukraine, says they'll be here for them when they come.
It's the small moments and the big ones - like a 12-year-old boy finding his stride again - that help this group find the resolve to fight for their country and their home.
"I still look outside and check. I feel like we got back to 19th century, it's not 21st century," said Gradinar. "And that is sad seeing these young men, seeing young kids that are so impacted by all of this, this war," said Gradinar. "But at the same time, we cannot control that. And when I see that courage that they have, they just give us the drive to say, 'OK, we on our end can do this better, we can help these people to get back to semi-normal for them and live their life to the fullest.'"
You can help the Protez Foundation in numerous ways. They have volunteer options, or you can donate a meal or give money to the cause.
The foundation has some members in Ukraine right now setting up a follow-up care center. They also plan to train Ukrainian medical professionals so they know how to support these wounded soldiers.
