‘What I wanted most was to survive’

Father, Pavlo Gomeniuk:

Our son likes to play drums. He is practicing all the time. I attend his concerts when they perform. I really like it how he sings and plays.

I thought that this would not happen to my child. They had some training where it was explained: ‘Do not pick anything up, don’t do it’. However, the child’s curiosity kicked in.

Son, Dmytro, 13 years old:

I found a bullet, picked it up and went home. It was right near my house. Honestly, I don’t know. My mind was not thinking, while my hands were doing it. I cannot find an answer. I really did not want to do anything particular with it [the bullet].

I went to the garage. Placed that bullet in the jaw vice. It had a red tip, and I bit it off with wire cutters. It looked empty inside. I put a wire in there – and it detonated. There came a strong blow and a very great squeaking noise in my ears, but I did not feel any pain at all.

I was very scared and rang inside the house to fetch the phone, and then to the neighbour to call an ambulance because I myself did not have any strength to do that. The first thing I wanted most was to survive.

Father: I was on my way home from work. I stopped by my parents and a neighbour came running and said: ‘Your child is in blood.’ I got into the car quickly.

Mother, Galyna Gomeniuk, 34 years old:

I was at work. I received a telephone call, my son saying: ‘Mom, I am dying.’ Well, I thought he was joking. I asked: ‘Are you kidding me?’ ‘Mom,’ I heard it in his voice. ‘Mom, I am dying.’ I could hear some woman there close to him: ‘Call an ambulance, call an ambulance!’

We came. I saw him on the staircase at our neighbour’s place. He was bent down, covered in blood, and with his gut hanging out. I was shocked and I got lost. And there came my husband rushing. There was no ambulance. Some 15 minutes passed. We put our son into our car and brought him to our clinic. First aid was there. He wanted to sleep badly, but I did not let him sleep. He was closing his eyes and I was wetting his lips as he wanted to drink very much.

Father: Our son could die. He was lucky to remain alive. It was very hard physically, but especially morally.

Mother:

I received a call from the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation. They offered some help for our child. We are thankful to Rinat Leonidovych for helping our son. The medicines are very expensive.

Father:

The amount was just astronomical! And we could not get all the medicines at once. Some of them had to be pre-ordered and we had to wait. Our child’s life depended on it. The Rinat Akhmetov Foundation called and the next day they provided us with those medicines, what we needed according to the list!

Mother:

The hardest moment was when the doctors said our son did not have chances to survive. When the doctors told us that they could not give any chances. Now it is good. He pulled round, he received some treatment both psychologically and morally. His scars healed up well, closed up.

Son: You should love life and should not buy into some trifles that could easily ruin your life.