This handsome  20-year-old man from Krasnogorovka, eastern Ukraine, was supposed to have his whole life ahead filled with love, wealth and prosperity. Unluckly, when serving his compulsory military services, he received a head injury:  27 centimeters of his skull was damaged. 

The skull bone defect was eliminated with a titanium implant, he managed to survive, but the memory of that terrible day remained forever. Despite the head injury, Olexander still wanted to live a normal life.

10 years later, he still lives with his mother Lyubov in the front-line Krasnohorivka, eastern Ukraine. Their house has been deprived of centralized heating for the last 6 years due to the fact that the city gas pipeline was damaged with shelling back in 2015 and could not be renewed due to continued military operations in the area.

The Krivenko family are forced to get firewood by cutting trees in nearby wood and heat the stove in order to survive this cold winter.

On February 14, Olexander went into the forest to get some firewood. The frosts in February began to be severe. He saw a real prey at the top of a tall tree,  – a lot of dry branches …This last memory was that he was climbing a tree in anticipation that it would be especially warm at home that night. Ufortunately, he woke up in a hospital trauma ward with 3 fractures of his right arm.

His mother Lubov who is barely breathing due to serious health problems, came to the hospital and was horrified by the condition of her only son and the amount of money she was requested to pay to save her son’s arm.

You should prepare the money – the doctor told me. But where could I get the needed enourmous amount? My son is disabled. I have serious problems with my own health –  I have deformities of the joints and spine, a large hump on my back. I knew if we were not able to save his hand, we would lose our only way to provide for ourselves! It is unbearable when your child is sick! I couldn’t cope on my own so I had to find someone to help us!”

Olexander’s doctor, traumatologist Mykhaylo Chirkov had previously cooperated with CBN-Emmanuel – the charitable organization that had helped several other patients with purchase of metal contructions for osteosynthesis.

The required amount for the operation and purchase of an implant for Olexander Krivenko family was donated by CBN-Emmanuel thanks to support of Operation Blessing Partners and Olexander was able to have his urgent surgery to save his arm.

“Today, thanks to the caring people and their donations, my young son Olexander will be able to live a full life and work again, because his hand is already at the stage of recovery” – thanked mother Lyubov.

And Olexander himself was moved to tears by the fact that someone else was taking care of his health and future free of charge!I want to thank Emmanuel Association for the most valuable gifts in my life! Thank you for paying for my surgery and giving me hope!”

To make a donation you can here: http://helpua.org/en/home-en/

Anna Chaban, Journalist