This 9 Year Old Boy Lost His Leg In A Horrible Explosion. See His Amazing Story Of Hope And Courage.

#1

War had broken out where they lived in the Ukraine. Dima's family moved into his grandmother's house - her basement was larger and more comfortable for hiding from the bombs. Going out to the backyard was even dangerous. "I noticed how suddenly my son grew up. Yesterday, he was playing computer games, but when the war started in the city, he became serious and responsible and would never leave his sister's side. If we needed to go outside, he would insist on going first - to look around," said Dima's father.

#2

On one particular day however, no one could have predicted the tragedy to come. Outside, everything was still - no sounds of fighting could be heard. The children, Dima and Lera, could finally go out into the yard. Breathing in the fresh air, their innocent smiling faces glowed. Little Lera was happily distracted when she suddenly heard her brother screaming, "Look out!!!" Dima saw the bomb coming. He pushed his little sister to the ground and covered her with his own body, completely sacrificing own safety. A second later, there was a huge explosion.

#3

Dima's father ran outside. He could hear his son's cries. "I'm running to him and I can see thathis leg is almost completely torn off it was hanging on to his body by threads," said his father. Between his painful cries, Dima asked desperately, "Is she alive? Is she breathing? Is she alive?" While bleeding out, the boy couldn't stop asking about his little sister. And thanks to him, her life was saved.

#4

Dima's uncle also rushed outside and "tied" his leg with the first thing he found, the clothes line. The family somehow managed to rush through the bomb attack to the hospital. In the car, Dima wouldn't stop saying his sister's name. He lost a lot of blood and began to turn more and more white. He quickly lost consciousness.

Four doctors tried desperately to save his life. Surgeon Vladimir Streltsov confessed that in his 12 years practicing medicine, he had never seen a story like this. Everyone in the hospital was praying for this little hero: doctors, nurses, staff, and patients. Doctors explained to Dima's parents that if they tried to save his leg, there was a high chance that an infection would spread to the rest of his body. The only option left was to amputate it.

#5

When the boy finally woke up, his parents were allowed to go to his room. His father nervously tried to prepare his child for the devastating news that he had lost his leg. "Dad, I'm already grown up," said Dima, "I understand. When are we going home?" His father could only look away, trying to hide the tears in his eyes. The Pavlenko family no longer had a home to go back to. It had been bombed to the ground.

#6

But Dima's story didn't go unnoticed. Once news spread that the little hero needed a prosthesis, people started donating money for him. In just 3 days, they had raised enough! The donors who felt compassion for him came from all over, both home and abroad. "Now we pray for those people every day," says the family, "They pray for Dima, and we pray for them."

#7

In his native town of Mariupol, people flooded the boy's hospital room with gifts and toys. Even better, the Pavlenko family was assigned a new home.

A prosthetic leg was custom made for Dima. Now this little hero is learning how to walk again and is doing rehabilitation at the hospital. Doctors say Dima will soon be able to run around and get his full life back.

#8

How can such spirit, willpower, patience, and heroism exist in such a young child? The things he has had to face would have defeated most adults. If you thought little Dima's story was an inspiring example of heroism, then don't hesitate to share this story with everyone you know!