‘To Live Fully Again’

With help from the Knights, a young woman reclaims her life after losing her foot in a Russian missile attack

By Kateryna Kolodii

Nov. 5, 2025

Ukrainian Lost Foot In Missile Strike — Tetiana Sahaidak, a Ukrainian who lost her foot in a Russian missile strike, receives a standing ovation while being recognized by Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly during his annual report at the 143rd Supreme Convention in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 5. The Knights of Columbus, in partnership with the Protez Foundation, helped Sahaidak obtain a prosthesis in the United States. (Photo by Tamino Petelinšek)

Despite the invasion of her country, Tetiana Sahaidak had high hopes for her future. The 30-year-old lawyer from Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, enjoyed her work, sports and travel. But on April 2, 2025, her life changed in an instant. As she drove home from work, a Russian missile struck nearby, and shrapnel from the explosion pierced her car.

“One of the fragments hit my leg, damaging my foot, which led to amputation,” Sahaidak recalled. Thanks to the swift actions of first responders, surgery saved her life, but the loss of her foot brought immense new challenges.

“The hardest thing was to get used to the fact that you can’t just get up and go and do what you want,” she said. “For every step, every wish you have, you have to involve people close to you to help.”

But Sahaidak was determined not to let the injury derail her future. Just a month after the attack, she married her fiancé, and later passed an exam for her bar application.

While she worked to reclaim her life, the Knights of Columbus, in cooperation with the Protez Foundation, helped Sahaidak regain the mobility she enjoyed before the attack. This past summer, through a partnership between the two organizations, the young lawyer traveled to the United States to receive a prosthesis and undergo a monthlong rehabilitation.

“For me, stories of prosthetics for people like Ms. Tetiana Sahaidak are stories of rebirth,” said Ukraine State Deputy Mykola Mostovyak. “When a person receives a prosthesis, they regain their dignity, faith in tomorrow, and the possibility to live fully again.”

The First Steps Forward

Sahaidak’s rehabilitation journey began in Washington, D.C., in August, where her story was shared at the Order’s 143rd Supreme Convention. There, she was personally recognized by Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly during his annual report.

“Tetiana, your courage and resilience are an inspiration,” the supreme knight declared. He reaffirmed the Order’s commitment to assisting victims of the war in Ukraine, stating, “So long as the war continues, we’ll be there for those who suffer.”

Reflecting on the experience after the event, Sahaidak expressed her gratitude. “It was very nice to be a part of [the Supreme Convention], to hear about the work of the Knights — the charitable, good deeds they are doing for people,” she said.

Woman Walking With New Prosthetic Limb — Tetiana Sahaidak practices walking with her new prosthetic limb at the Protez Foundation’s rehabilitation center in Oakdale, Minn., in August.

From Washington, she traveled to the Protez Foundation clinic outside St. Paul, Minnesota, arriving Aug. 7 to undergo prosthetic fitting and rehabilitation. She received her first prosthetic fitting Aug. 11.

“They made an impression [of the affected limb], and soon afterward I was given a prosthesis,” Sahaidak said. “It happened so quickly, and I was excited that I was about to start walking.”

Yakov Gradinar, a prosthetist at the Protez Foundation, noted that the process goes far beyond the physical device.

“We don’t give them their limb back; we provide a tool for them to use,” he said, adding that a crucial part of rehabilitation is helping patients accept their new reality.

“The loss of a limb is like the loss of a close relative or friend,” Gradinar explained. Once that reality is faced, he said, the focus shifts to the mental challenge. “Disability is in the head. To the extent that we mentally limit ourselves — that is the extent to which we are truly limited.”

For Sahaidak, learning to use her prosthetic limb was both a challenge and a victory. “The first steps were like returning to my old life,” she said. “Right on the first day, with crutches and the new prosthesis, I went for a walk.”

That moment is the ultimate reward for Gradinar. “When a person comes in a wheelchair and then stands up and walks — that is the most inspiring thing,” he said.

‘Every Moment Must Be Cherished’

Along with physical recovery, Sahaidak says she developed a new perspective on life. She now has “a greater awareness that every moment must be cherished, and more time should be spent with loved ones,” she said. “God has kept me alive and introduced me to such wonderful people.”

Sahaidak said she received help from all corners of her life. “There was a lot of support that I didn’t even expect — not just from my loved ones.”

Since receiving her prosthesis, Sahaidak continues to recover and has bold plans for the future. “I aim to obtain a bar certificate, and I continue to work in that direction,” Sahaidak said. “I want to provide legal assistance to civilians, injured soldiers and persons with disabilities.”

Her hopeful spirit resonates with the Knights who assisted her on her journey.

“Tetiana shows that even after a terrible loss, one can rise up instead of breaking down, and can begin building a new life,” said State Deputy Mostovyak.

Sahaidak is convinced that even in the darkest moments, those faced with adversity can find the strength to move forward.

“Don’t give up!” she urged. “If you feel really bad, you need to understand that it won’t be like this forever. Every day, it will become easier and easier. Believe in it; believe in your future; go for it!”

To learn more about the Knights’ ongoing humanitarian relief in Ukraine and to support those efforts, visit kofc.org/ukraine.

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KATERYNA KOLODII writes from Lviv, Ukraine.