A translator broke down in tears yesterday at the European Parliament in Brussels while interpreting for an 11-year-old Ukrainian boy who was injured in a Russian missile attack on a hospital in central Ukraine in 2022, reports N1.
Roman Oleksiyev's mother was killed in the attack, and he has since undergone multiple surgeries. His skin was burned, the effects of which are still visible today.
"On July 14, 2022, my mom and I were in Vinnytsia, Ukraine, and three Russian missiles fell there. That was the last time I saw my mom. That was the last time I was able to say goodbye to her," this boy said as the interpreter cried.
Roman described how his mother was buried under the rubble.
"I could have touched her hair and said goodbye to her," he said in Parliament.
The boy (who was seven years old at the time) spent more than 100 days in a coma and had to undergo 35 surgeries to repair his severe injuries, with burns so severe that they affected his bones.
Roman addressed members of the European Parliament during the presentation of a documentary about Ukrainian children in the midst of war.
"I want to tell you that when we are together, we are strong and that you must never, ever give up. We must continue to help Ukrainian children," the boy said.
When Roman woke up from the coma, he had casts on all four limbs and had lost most of his hair. Burns covered 45 percent of his body.
At first, they told him he might never be able to walk again, but Roman eventually recovered and returned to his love - pair dancing.
A year after the operations at a specialized clinic in Dresden, Roman returned to school and his home in Lviv, as well as to dance lessons.
"We didn't know if he would be able to walk, move his arm or fingers. But thanks to the work (of the medical staff), Roman's work, his superhuman effort... all of that opened the door for us to return to dancing, playing musical instruments," his father Jaroslav once said.
In addition to dancing, Roman also enjoys playing the bayan, a type of accordion, and last year he even won a competition thanks to his musical skills.
His journey to recovery became the subject of the award-winning documentary "Romchik," made by students from Goldsmiths College, University of London.
The film was also shown to the late Pope Francis and won an award at the Cambria Film Festival in California.
Bonus video:
