Occupation: Student

Country of Birth: Ukraine (Mariupol)

Current: Minneapolis, MN

“When I saw my prosthetics for the first time, I was amazed. I thought, Wow, I can stand again. I remembered my coach’s words: ‘You can do it.’”

Artem Sverhun was born in Mariupol, Ukraine. Before the war reached his city, Artem was living his dream as a professional football player (known as soccer in America). Starting football at the age of seven, it quickly became his passion and escape from life’s challenges. By 14, he signed his first professional contract and dedicated himself fully to the sport he loved training six days a week. Artem worked tirelessly chasing his dream and traveling across Ukraine to compete with top teams.

On March 1, 2022, Artem’s life took a devastating turn. During an airstrike in Mariupol, a drone dropped a bomb near the soccer pitch where he was training with friends. The blast killed his best friend, severely injured another, and left Artem fighting for his life. His left leg was critically wounded, and the lack of medical supplies in the war-torn city led to an infection that required amputation.

After weeks of unimaginable pain and survival in Mariupol and Donetsk, Artem and his mother were flown by a private jet to Germany, where he spent seven months in the hospital recovering. There, facing the physical and emotional challenges of adapting to his new reality, Artem began rebuilding his life. 

In 2023, through the help of the Protez Foundation, Artem traveled to the U.S. at the age of 16 to receive a prosthetic leg and to continue his recovery toward walking without assistance. Now living in Minnesota, he is a high school senior focused on graduating and pursuing his next goals such as studying computers or web design in college.