OTTAWA – Mykola Nyzhnykovskyi, the 11-year-old boy who lost his legs and an arm in Volodarsk, near the ceasefire line in eastern Ukraine, traveled from Montreal’s Shriners Children’s Hospital to meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau while spending the afternoon of November 9 on Parliament Hill as a guest of Liberal Member of Parliament Borys Wrzesnewskyj (Etobicoke Center).
On August 24, 2015, Mykola and his brother Danyo were playing with two other friends in a field near their home. The boys saw an object that piqued their curiosity. Thinking the object was a toy, Mykola picked it up. The unexploded grenade detonated. The blast immediately killed Danyo and left Mykola a triple amputee. He also sustained severe injuries to his face, teeth, eyes and other parts of his body.
Parliamentary Photographer
Member of Parliament Borys Wrzesnewsky and Victor Hetmanczuk escort Mykola on the floor of the Chamber of the House of Commons.
Mykola’s facial injuries were treated by Canadian doctors and medical staff at a hospital in Kyiv. The Canadian medical team was led by Etobicoke Center resident Dr. Oleh Antonyshyn of Toronto’s Sunnybrook Hospital. This team of Canadian medical volunteers was part of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation’s (CUF) medical mission to Ukraine.
CUF arranged for Mykola’s further treatment in Canada at the Shriners Children’s Hospital in Montreal, which has generously provided ongoing assessment and treatment of Mykola’s challenging prosthetic needs.
Accompanied by his mother, Alla, and dedicated CUF officials Victor Hetmanczuk and Krystina Waler, Mykola spent the afternoon in Ottawa as a guest of Mr. Wrzesnewskyj, chair of the Canada-Ukraine Parliamentary Friendship Group. Joining the group was Ukraine’s ambassador to Canada, Andriy Shevchenko.
Adam Scotti
Mykola presents Prime Minster Justin Trudeau his coloring “Tree of Life.” From left are: MP Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Prime Minister Trudeau, CUF Director of Humanitarian Initiatives Krystina Waler, Mykola’s mother, Alla Nyzhnykovska, Mykola, Ukrainian Ambassador Andriy Shevchenko and CUF President Victor Hetmanczuk.
The highlight of the afternoon trip to Ottawa was Mykola’s visit with Mr. Trudeau in the prime minister’s office. During the meeting, Mykola presented the prime minister with his personal color drawing of the “Tree of Life” inspired by his experiences and impressions of Canada that he completed during his art therapy sessions.
“Prime Minister Trudeau and I were deeply moved by the experience of spending time with Mykola and learning first-hand of the many challenges he’s facing. It gives me great pride to know that a first-class Canadian health care facility, Montreal’s Shriners Children’s Hospital, is helping Mykola overcome his significant physical challenges,” stated Mr. Wrzesnewskyj. He added, “The Canada-Ukraine Foundation along with Dr. Antonyshyn and team have done the work of angels in helping Mykola, and all of those undergoing reconstructive surgery as a consequence of Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine.”
For more information on Mykola’s ongoing treatment, readers may visit http://helpmykola.com.