Erik Mkrtchyan after the 44-day war


The ill-fated ATS strike in Jarakan changed the life of Erik Mkrtchyan. He and his family moved from Vanadzor to Yerevan so that he could receive long-term treatment first in the hospital and then in the "Soldier's House". Eric now considers that after being injured, he appreciates life, his relatives and the world around him. He believes that difficulties have made him stronger.

Aram Terzyan after the 44-day war


The prayer book saved the lives of father and son Terzyans during the 44-day war, Aram Terzyan's life was saved by the pocket prayer book and cross. The enemy's bullet hit the prayer book of the pocket-pock, which protected Aram like a bulletproof vest. The same prayer book also protected Aram's father during the first Artsakh war. After being treated in the "Soldier's House", Aram donated the prayer book to the chapel opened in the rehabilitation center. Now Aram is the coordinator of "Soldier's house" in Shirak region.

Edmond Hovakimyan after the 44-day war


He had been demobilized months earlier when the 44-day war began. He went to Artsakh as a volunteer with his friends. On October 11, he lost his left arm in a drone strike in Jabrail. He was engaged in music for nine years. Clarinet, shwi, duduk, pku; these were not just musical instruments for Edmond, but, as he says, the greatest loves of his life. The hardest part has been adjusting to the thought of not playing forever. Today, Edmond is a famous showman. It has its own myth-he believes that the day will come when he will have a hand again. "When you see the kind of scientific and technological growth our planet records every day, you believe that after ten to fifteen or maybe twenty years it will be possible to get a hand again through surgery," he says.

Shahen Babayan after the 44-day war


We met the athlete Shahen Babayan during the days of the "Republican Sports Games of Disabled Sports 2023" in Tsaghkadzor.
On October 28, 2020 Shahen's life was barely saved from the injury he received from an anti-aircraft missile strike. Lost both legs. There was disappointment and despair, of course, but the urge to return to a full life was greater. Having prosthetics, today it is rare to sit in a wheelchair. He says that guys like me should stand firmly on the ground, give each other strength, so that the spirit of the defeated and broken will come out of all of us.

Rafael Mkrtchyan after the 44-day war


Rafael considers October 10, 2020 to be his second birthday, his spinal cord was damaged by a gunshot in Jrakan. Today the young man is in a wheelchair. After the injury, fellow citizens collected money and built an elevator in the apartment building where Rafael lives. He is currently building a guest house for people with disabilities. We spent a day with his family in Dilijan, where Rafael Mkrtchyan was born and lives.

Hovsep Arakelyan after the 44-day war


I was in positions in Mataghis when the war started. In the morning we heard the sound of falling shells, came out of the dugout, saw the flying shells of "Grad" falling on the neighboring positions, we understood that everything is more than real. The enemy's next target was our position. On the first day, we retreated and returned to our positions several times. It was after noon when the shell exploded at my feet." Hovsep Arakelyan lost both legs and wears prostheses. Today, he is engaged in his favorite business, which allows him to provide a stable income and feel self-sufficient. After the war, he received the first category of disability, and after prosthetics, the category was lowered.

Robert Antonyan after the 44-day war


Robert Antonyan received a gunshot wound on the 15th day of the 44-day war, the conscript soldier's frontal nerve was damaged. It was necessary to perform an operation in a short period of time to restore the facial nerve. However, such an operation had never been performed in Armenia, Professor Akira Ishiyama came to Armenia specially from the United States. Although today Robert said goodbye to his football life, he found a job related to the field. The young man is able to perform the simplest actions, which seemed impossible after the injury.

Ashot Tadevosyan after the war


In the days of the 2020 war, on the way to transport wounded soldiers to Stepanakert hospital, one of the doctors noticed how two soldiers were holding hands and took a picture of them. The photo quickly spread on the Internet. One of the wounded soldiers in the photo is Ashot Tadevosyan. He suffered a leg and spine injury from a mine explosion. He was on the brink of death for hours before his comrades in arms brought him to a safe zone. We met Ashot 3 years after the war, in the vocal department of Armavir State Art College.

Gevorg Karapetyan after the 44-day war


The 2020 war dealt a double blow to Gevorg Karapetyan. After receiving a serious injury, the young officer also lost his brother Aram, a conscript soldier. "On November 7, he called and said that he was injured in Shushi, on November 8 he had already died, there was no way to provide first aid, Shushi was no longer ours." Gevorg moved with his family from Hadrut and lives in Armenia. Despite the disability and the loss of his younger brother, he tries to live with dignity.

 

Hayk Jamkochyan after the war


In 2020, Hayk was a conscript soldier. He was four months away from being demobilized when the 44-day Artsakh war began. On October 16, when the order to retreat and attack was given in Hardut, he received a spinal cord injury from a sniper's shot.  Today, the young man moves around in a wheelchair. There is a widespread lack of ramps and other facilities in Nor Hachn, where he lives.  Despite the difficulties, Hayk has plans for the future.

Tigran Mkrtchyan after the war


Tigran Mkrtchyan is 25 years old, a participant in two Artsakh wars. He was injured in 2016 during the April war, he also volunteered in 2020 in the 44 -day war. Due to his health condition, he could not find a job for a long time. He has started to create, soon Tigran's first exhibition-sale will be in the Rehabilitation City of Heroes, the proceeds are going to be invested in new projects, to solve financial problems.

Erik Grigoryan after the 44-day war


I found my tank on the Internet, it was participating in a parade in Baku. I am joking, I tell my friends: I didn't make it to Baku, but my tank did." Erik Grigoryan is from Shushi. On October 24, 2020 he was injured by a cluster bomb explosion in Mataghis. We met Eric in the studio, in "Crown Emotions".