In a quiet gym in Odesa, Ukraine, veterans gather not for treatment, but for transformation.

Free Warriors is a grassroots initiative using adaptive sports to support the rehabilitation and reintegration of those injured in war. I spent time with Illia, Arsen, and their team, witnessing the power of wheelchair basketball to foster strength, dignity, and community. I was invited to join one of their training sessions and tried wheelchair basketball myself—a demanding, humbling, and thoroughly engaging experience.

In mid-May 2025, I joined the team again at a national wheelchair basketball competition in Kyiv, organized by the Ukrainian Ministry of Veterans Affairs. Seeing them on the court among other teams from across the country showed how far this community has come—and how much it still needs.

Ukraine is now home to millions of veterans—initiatives like this offer more than recovery; they offer purpose. Despite their impact, Free Warriors operate without state support, relying on limited resources to meet growing needs.