Mobilized “Jackson”. Calmly to go ahead

Yevhen “Jackson” Terekhov told “Ukrainian Pravda. Life” how the war changes people, how he himself was transformed.

Titanic Miner

Yevhen Terehov was born in the town of Pavlodar, the Dnipropetrovsk region, in 1989.
He was awarded the silver medal at the world military pentathlon championship. He was a miner before the war. He was mobilized to the 20th battalion of territorial defense.

His new life started on August 27, 2014 when he was severely wounded in the battle for Maryinka.
It was at the moment when his duty was over and he took off his bullet-proof vest and helmet.
- As a rule, I heard the shooting; that time I didn’t. I heard it when it landed. The first shell fell down five meters from me and I was wounded in the head. I didn’t lose consciousness and ran ahead. The second shell landed in seven meters, – Zhenya recalls.



Photo from “Jackson’s” personal archive

Yevheniy was wounded by 83 fragments.

On August 29, he was taken to military hospital.

However, it was only on September 2 that doctors found out that “Jackson” was wounded in the head: a very tiny fragment of 5 mm pierced the scull 2 mm from the central vessel and causes a hematoma of 20 cubic centimeters in the occipital part of the head.

He was urgently operated on in Mechnikova hospital in Dnepr and the doctors fixed a 33-square-cm titanic plate on his head.

Now they call him “Titanic Jackson”; 24 fragments are still inside him.

That battle was the most difficult for the 20th battalion when they were shelled from three directions.

The Point of No Return has been passed

First and foremost, the war is destruction, the perished, the wounded. On the other hand, it shows who is who and changes people beyond recognition.

Zhenya does not have old friends, only new ones.

Why?

- The values have changed. Now I value my family, home, people, friendship; my relationship with my father has normalized, but  in the past I made mistakes, –  Zhenya confessed.
Despite his sports past, Yevheniy was not an exemplary military. Sometimes he did not observe the military regulations, but he is thankful to God for the platoon which became his family.

Photo from “Jackson’s” personal archive 

– Sometimes we made fun ofeach other, sometimes we had arguments with curse words, but when shelling started, we helped and protected each other. This is a real fraternity, this is what is the most valuable, – said the serviceman.

“Jackson” is sure that those who survive are not the people who have no quarrels, but those who respect each other. He is sure that the war will be over, but the relationships will remain. However, this moment is not suitable for arguments. The time demands unity.

A week and a half after the operation, practically with an open head wound, he visited his guys as his life is there.

Work for the Future of ATO Participants

Today “Jackson” is assistant on the issues of ATO servicemen of the head of the Dnepr region. In future they are planning to arrange the Department  which will work with volunteers and be responsible for social and legal protection of militaries.

– I never say that I am a Hero, – says Yevheniy. I try to live in the present and do what I can do to help to and to unite servicemen for there to be fraternity, not enmity. We should support peace in the rear.



Photo from “Jackson’s” personal archive 

Terekhov helped ATO servicemen to get a lot of ATO participant’s statuses and a lot of land plots,; he is planning to create jobs for ATO participants and benefits and comfortable conditions for businesses and offices which will participate in his project.

He remembers that everything was ready, waiting for him when he was taken to  the hospital: clean clothes, water, fruit, and juices. Doctors and locals met him at the entrance. This is respect: what you do for people will come back to you.

Terekhov remembers one episode very well. It touched him deeply. When he was in hospital, an old man with a cane came to Mechnikova hospital. The man was very old, about 90. He had spent all his pension money on medicines for wounded militaries, He asked volunteers, “ Please, give the drugs to the sons. I am thankful to them for my peaceful today”. He was staying at the entrance and crying.
- I looked at him and I was crying too. And I am happy that I was there, at the front, to protect this old man.



Photo from “Jackson’s” personal archive 

Yevheniy is sure that God saved him and he is thankful to God for that.

Yevheniy was awarded the order “For Courage” of the 3d Degree.

Yevheniya Fayenkova, for UP. Life

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