The European Parliament in Strasbourg was moved to tears during a recent screening of a documentary on children living in war-torn Ukraine, when 11-year-old Roman Oleksiv shared his remarkable personal story.

Roman lost his mother, Halyna, in a missile strike on a clinic in Vinnytsia in July 2022. He survived with internal injuries and burns covering 45% of his body, spending over 100 days in intensive care and undergoing more than 35 surgeries to reconstruct his damaged body.

“I saw my mother under the rubble, I saw her hair, and I said goodbye,” Roman recalled, describing the traumatic day. “Since then, I stayed in intensive care for over 100 days and went through 35 surgeries. Now I am recovering.” His testimony drew standing ovations from attendees.

After the attack, Roman, then just eight years old, was airlifted to Germany for specialized treatment through a medical evacuation program supported by Ukraine’s Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization, and the European Union. Despite doctors’ fears that he might never walk again, Roman made a remarkable recovery.

Music and dance played a key role in his rehabilitation. His father explained that dance improved his balance and muscle strength, while learning complex accordion techniques enhanced the flexibility and coordination of his hands.

By late 2024, Roman was able to remove his mask and return to Ukraine with his father, where he won first prize in an international accordion competition, demonstrating extraordinary resilience and determination.