In the heart of Minnesota, a 24-year old medical student at the University of Minnesota is responding to the global echo of desperation from his home country, Ukraine, in a dignified manner. Born in Ukraine and having moved to the U.S. at six years old, the young Sergei Karachnits kept close his roots. With the intensifying conflict and Ukraine taking center stage, his pride in his origins amplified.
Resounding cries for help from his homeland were too potent to disregard. Sergei was moved by the sight of volunteers extending their aid, which ignited a determination within him to contribute actively in easing the hardship.
Not one to stand idle, Karachnits stepped away from the comfort of his homeland in the United States and into the war zone amidst his medical school break. He served as a combat medic on the front lines in Ukraine for six long weeks, offering his skills to benefit those entwined in the hostilities.
His cell phone videos recorded perils and sorrows alike. Resident near the battlegrounds outside Bakhmut, Karachnits had his mettle tested. His initial days met him with severe shellings that made him question the risk of his decision. However, he persisted through.
Interestingly, he found his companions in medics who were essentially everyday plumbers and construction professionals transformed by the demands of war. Despite the dangerous violence and artillery surroundings, their medical duties were rudimentary - attend to a gunshot wound, an amputation, halt the bleeding. This image of medics operating in such adversity amidst ground-shuddering, low-flying jets was an experience that stayed with Sergei.
On being back home, Sergei now serves as an EMT with a goal of becoming an emergency room physician post his medical school journey. While he engages in saving lives here in the U.S., his heart remains firm with the soldiers in Ukraine, resonating a strong spirit of humanity and dedication.
