In the heart of the Oregon mountains, over 4,970 miles away from the war, five Ukrainian veterans find a new hope for life among the snow-covered slopes. An initiative that has little to do with the front lines of conflict and much with physical and mental healing, where skiing becomes a vehicle for rehabilitation, as well as a bridge between two distant worlds. In an era marked by violence, sport can become a powerful tool of resistance, offering battle veterans a chance to start over.
Where violence sowed pain, now sport and determination offer an escape. Today, adaptive skiing represents an important step towards the autonomy of those who have lost so much, but it remains above all a symbol of how, even in the darkest moments, ways can be found to rise again.
The initiative, organized by Oregon Adaptive Sports, a nonprofit association dedicated to making certain sports accessible to people with disabilities, is not just an opportunity for leisure, but a true therapy for those whose lives have been turned upside down by conflict. The story of Oleksandr Shvachka, as reported by the U.S. news agency Associated Press, who lost a leg during the battle in Ukraine, is just one of many. His meeting with the Pacific State marks a significant step in his recovery. The thrill of skiing, of feeling independent and free again, is an emotion that goes beyond mere sport. Every run on the snow is a metaphor for recovery, a challenge to fear and pain.
The veterans are not just recipients of aid but become vehicles of change themselves. The Ukrainian ski instructors involved in the program are preparing to return home, armed with new knowledge to train other war amputees. Thus, the chain of solidarity continues, crossing borders and countries, and it is destined to grow.
The project’s goal is clear: not only to help the veterans but also to transfer skills to Ukraine, where hundreds of people who have lost limbs due to the conflict could benefit from lessons in this discipline. Although the activity started in the mountains of Oregon, it aims to have a lasting impact, bringing a new vision of rehabilitation to a country trying to rebuild, also through hope.
