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A family forged from love and steel: After a severe injury, Vitaliy Mizin became a father for the third time and embarked on his own business venture!
Their family is truly made of love and steel. Together, they have faced incredible trials and overcome every challenge. Their willpower, spirit, and love are extraordinary!
Their youngest son was just a few weeks old when Lieutenant Vitaliy Mizin of the 66th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces stood up to defend Ukraine in the spring of 2022.
Following a missile strike on his barracks, he sustained severe burns and injuries, with slim chances of survival… His wife Yuliya was the only one who believed in a miracle – and a miracle happened!
Despite losing his right arm and leg, Vitaliy learned to weave paracord bracelets with one hand and started his own business! And… he became a father for the third time!
Today, we talk about the strength of spirit and willpower with this indomitable warrior and his better half. From time to time, the joyful babbling of the couple’s youngest son, six-month-old Maksym, born after Vitaliy’s injury, joins our conversation. And the chatter of children’s voices is the best proof that life goes on, life triumphs!
Held his newborn son and went off to serve
“I’m from Cherkasy, and Yuliya is from the Kirovograd region, Ukraine; we were introduced by mutual friends while we both were students,” Vitaliy shares.
“There was an immediate spark between us, and I felt that Yuliya was the one for me! We got married and our son Ivan was born. After finishing university, I worked at the Cherkasy metallurgical plant, and then, in the second year of the Anti-Terrorist Operation in 2015, I was mobilized and served for a year and eight months. Before the full-scale war broke out, I was working as a taxi driver in Cherkasy, and Yuliya and I were expecting our second son. But the war arrived sooner…
There was no panic – on the contrary, I was the one calming everyone down. My officer’s bag was packed and ready in the closet; I was prepared. In March, our Danylo was born, and I held him, so tiny, in my arms for the first time… A few days later, I drove my family to Novomyrgorod, Ukraine, to my mother-in-law’s and went to the military registration and enlistment office, and from there – to serve.”
“Having previous experience, I knew exactly which branch of the military I wanted to join – artillery, the “gods of war”. Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to serve for long… On the evening of May 17, I spoke on the phone with Yuliya and our older son Ivan. We didn’t talk long because we were preparing for exercises, ready and focused on the next day. There were no bad premonitions, nothing. But at night, hell began…”
On the night of May 17, the Russians launched a missile attack on the Desna training center in Chernihiv region, Ukraine, where Vitaliy and his brothers-in-arms were. It would later be revealed that 87 Ukrainian soldiers died under the rubble. Vitaliy was one of the few survivors – miraculously surviving… He suffered severe burns and injuries, spending 104 days in intensive care, hovering between life and death. The doctors fought desperately for his life but made no predictions and prepared his family for the worst… His wife, Yuliya, was the only one who believed in a miracle – and a miracle happened!
The willpower, the power of the spirit that transforms into physical strength!
…I ask Mr. Vitaliy’s forgiveness when we delve into painful memories.
“I’ve lived through it, believe me,” the man says.
“Memories hurt just as wounds do, but I’ve learned to live with them — it’s been two years now. The explosion used to haunt my dreams every night, but now, it’s getting a bit easier…
Then, after the explosion, when I fell into the basement, as the flames were scorching me, I mentally said goodbye to all my loved ones, having no hope of survival. But I wanted to live! The thought of my wife and sons kept me going… When the rescuers found me, I was conscious, talked to them, told them who I was, dictated my wife’s phone number, asked them to call her — and only after that did I lose consciousness…”
For a long and terrifying five days.
Rescuers pulled him from the fire, but 60% of his body had deep burns. Doctors noted that there wasn’t even a classification for such burns — his shoulder blade and ribs were scorched. His condition was extremely critical. Vitaliy underwent 10 surgeries, and his right arm and leg had to be amputated. But from the first days, his wife was by his side, and even unconscious, Vitaliy felt her support and love.
“When I came to, Yuliya was by my side,” Vitaliy recalls.
“She was with me all the time. Her support and her love pulled me back from the other side. Then I started to assess my condition, what injuries I had — I knew my right arm was gone, but, honestly, I hoped at least my leg could be saved. But compared to what I had gone through, how much pain I had endured, the amputation didn’t seem so terrifying…”
“Nobody believed in him like I did!” Yuliya says.
“At night, lying in tears — because during the day I wouldn’t allow myself to cry — I prayed, talked to Vitalik… I believed he could hear me. I told him that I loved him, to hold on. I couldn’t entertain any thought other than him being alive and continuing to live!
I am thankful for the people who were there, who helped and supported us — I couldn’t have managed without them! I remember a father of many children reached out to me on social media, wanting to help — and it was so touching, so inspiring — the fact that complete strangers, despite their own circumstances, were ready to lend a shoulder. Such support, when you realize you’re not alone with your trouble, is priceless!”
What followed was a difficult, long, and painful recovery. Medical professionals in Kyiv and then Lviv saved Vitaliy, and in the summer, he was transferred to Finland.
His family helped him through the tough rehabilitation process. Vitaliy relearned to walk along with his younger son — they, recalls the man, took their first steps together.
“Astronauts are taught to walk again after a flight — that’s how I learned to sit and stand again,” Vitaliy says.
“It was hard for the body to adjust — muscles wouldn’t hold, it was difficult. It’s a huge effort, it’s the strength of will, the spirit that transforms into physical power!
Giving up was never an option. I have three little Cossacks growing up — they need their dad! You realize, if you’re still here on this earth, you’re here for a reason. There’s something you still need to do, experience, understand.
Our youngest son, Maksym, is just half a year old — born after my injury, here in Finland. My family is my everything, and I’m ready to fight for every moment with them. As a family, we’ve become like a rock.”
“For our boys, dad is a hero, an authority! When Vitalik puts on his prosthesis, our nearly two-year-old Danylo grabs a screwdriver and runs to him — to help, “repair” the iron leg. Vitalik spends a lot of time with the kids, and he helps me a lot around the house: he vacuums, washes the floor, goes shopping — and I always write him a never-ending list,” Yuliya laughs.
“In general, I manage almost everything myself, I don’t need pity. The war changed me, but it didn’t defeat me! Yes, at first, I was quite lost — how to live, what to do? But I understood something: it’s not just about legs, where you want to go with them; not just about hands, but what you can do with them… Having a goal set for yourself helps a lot. And returning to a hobby of five years ago — paracord weaving — also played its role, because I saw something I could do and where I could find and reinvent myself anew.”
Paracord Bracelets – Made Single-Handedly!
Vitaliy’s creations are now worn by over a thousand Ukrainians across Europe – we asked how he managed to turn a simple hobby into a successful business.
“Oh, Vitalik is very modest,” laughs Mrs. Yuliya.
“Let me tell you the story. Five years ago, my husband tried his hand at making bracelets – just for the soul. He made some for himself, for us,” Yuliya recounts.
“Back then, it wasn’t even paracord but a simpler type of cord. After his injury, he remembered this hobby. We were just starting rehabilitation; he couldn’t even stand on his prosthetic or eat properly because of his broken shoulder.”
And one day, Vitalik said – it’s a pity I won’t be able to weave anything anymore… And I said – let’s try, I’ll help you, I’ll be your right hand. We tried – and realized that Vitaliy could actually do everything by himself! I only helped him the first time; after that, he figured out how to secure the cord and weave the bracelets. We bought some paracord, and off we went…”
“It sounds easy, but in practice, it was not so “rosy,”” smiles Vitaliy.
“Bracelets, keychains, lanyards, and even dog collars – it’s all intricate and meticulous work. There were times I had to reweave a finished product several times – because I wanted everything to be perfect! I made my first weaving loom myself. Now, it serves as a memory, a reminder of those first, hardest times. Nowadays, I weave with paracord using a loom that a friend made for me based on my drawings.”
Did he expect such a craze for the bracelets? For him, it was primarily rehabilitation, then a business option – to know and understand that not everything was lost, that Vitaliy could still do something and help his family.
The count of ordered products has reached the thousands. Both Ukrainians and European customers are placing orders. The most heartfelt bracelet for Vitaliy was made for the mother of a comrade who died that tragic night in Desna. Vitaliy distributed bracelets to his brothers-in-arms and sent many products to volunteers for charity raffles – unable to help on the front anymore, he contributes in this way…
A piece of the indomitable Ukrainian spirit is infused into each of his creations.
“The value of these products,” Vitaliy says, “is the value of willpower and patience, the energy invested in them. I want every person who buys my product to feel it! I dream of establishing an accessories brand where our veterans could work. I’d love to make this a reality, to help more guys. And with my example, I want to show everyone going through similar challenges that you must not give up, not pity yourself, but believe in yourself and create your future!”
