SERHII HORDIIEVYCH feels at home in the military, but he loves doing renovations by hand, and when everything is well-organized. He dreams of starting his own business and refers to himself and his daughter as a true “gang.”
About Himself: “I never thought about what kind of person I am, but I can definitely say that I’m empathetic. If someone is in pain, I somehow feel it too, especially if it’s someone I know and care about. I’m composed; it’s hard to throw me off balance. However, I don’t have infinite patience. Once, I could act selfishly—if I didn’t like something, I would just pack up and leave. But when my child was born, my views on many things changed, and I became more accommodating.”
About Inspiration and Support: “My wife has greatly influenced me. She always told me that every situation is negotiable. Eventually, I realized that communication is important.
We have been married since October 2015, but we started dating in 2011. Today, I feel that my wife inspires me; she always supports me. When she sees that something isn’t worth the effort, she tells me to think about whether I really need it. She’s a very wise woman. Probably, without her, I wouldn’t have grown into the person I am today. Interestingly, when we first met, she was so sharp-tongued that I jokingly said, ‘Wow, someone is going to be lucky to have her!'”
About Work and Hobbies: “I am a physical education teacher and worked at a college. After my daughter was born, I quit my job and went to France to work—doing renovations. I really enjoy plastering, laying tiles, and building. After my injury, my rehabilitation specialist told me, ‘Serhii, you know you won’t be able to do this in a wheelchair? It’s unrealistic. Or you’ll do it with so much effort that you won’t want to.’ At first, I believed him. But then I invented something similar to a large stool on wheels, and my wife helps me, so we work on our own construction projects: I can plaster walls, do electrical work, and lay tiles.
I also used to love playing football; I could play or practice five times a week, either with friends or on a team.
Now I’ve returned to the college to work as a chess coach and additionally as a teacher of electrical engineering disciplines. I also want to study psychology. I always have this idea of starting my own business in my head. I want to be financially independent and grow personally. And my top priority is to be a role model for my daughter. She always supports me, saying, ‘Daddy, let me help you,’ or ‘Dad, let’s buy something for Mom.’ We’re like a team.”
About the Military: “I could only imagine myself in the military as a child when I played war games with sticks. By the 11th grade, I realized that military knowledge would come in handy because there was a time when I felt clumsy. I started playing a bit of football, even though I didn’t know how; I was a goalkeeper. During my time at еру university, I began to train intensively, every day. At some point, my coach suggested participating in a championship for rural teams at the regional level. That’s what it means to work out intensively, even without knowing where it might lead—you’ll eventually see results. I also knew that the military service would be useful for me. However, in 2016, I was not accepted into the army.
For some reason, I was convinced that there wouldn’t be a bigger war. But on February 24, I experienced a break in my imagination—I don’t like spontaneous things, and this was exactly that. However, I like the army routine. Being in a bunker with 4 degrees of heat and 100% humidity doesn’t bother me. I enjoy digging trenches, sleeping in trenches, or simply under the open sky. I like going on assaults or hiding behind a tree, anticipating a situation, and taking out an enemy. That’s what I loved about the military. I always went on assaults; I found it thrilling. I told my wife that I felt it was my cup of tea.
I have a physical hatred for the Russians. They have always destroyed us, and I want to take revenge for our lost elite, for the people they starved, for dissidents, and for our contemporaries. And I feel honored to have this opportunity now.”
About Injury and Recovery: “During one of the clearing operations in a village in Kharkiv, I was injured. When my daughter saw me for the first time, she got scared. I was very thin, and I was startled when I saw myself in the mirror. But once I returned home after all the hospitals, everything came back to normal. I find enough support from my family; I can spend the whole day with them, especially with my daughter. We play chess, dominoes, cards, board games, Monopoly, and we also work out together on the bars. If I could walk, we would spend even more active time together, riding bikes and playing basketball.
My child remains my biggest motivation—I know for sure that I will walk again because I need to dance with her at her graduation and walk her down the aisle.
I was greatly inspired by Serhiy Kalytuk (a member of the national team for the Invictus Games 2022) when he came to see me. At that time, I was lying there like a wimp in the hospital, and Serhiy was so muscular and strong. I remembered him and decided that I also wanted to be that kind of handsome. Ms. Lesya (the national team coach for archery) also came to encourage me to shoot with a bow and play basketball in a wheelchair.
I was convinced that the Invictus Games would not contribute to my rehabilitation; I wanted to inspire the guys more. But it turned out that my participation helped me recover as well. Now, I want to try a lot of things and get involved in various activities.
About Happiness: “Many things make me happy today. I love seeing my wife flourishing with positive emotions. My child is growing, and my wife is proud of me—that’s my motivation.”
Translated by Green Forest English School