EURADIA KIDS met with the Hero of Russia Igor Zadorozhny

03/03/2021 22:26

On Sunday, February 28, EURASIA KIDS met online with the Hero of Russia Igor Zadorozhny. Young journalist Anton Ponomarev writes about his impressions of the meeting on the pages of the school news portal "Zhuraveinik":

- I have never met a real Hero of Russia. But recently, the participants of the EURASIA KIDS project and me met with Igor Sergeevich Zadorozhny, a special forces major, a man who has overcome a lot in life.

He is a Hero of Russia, a father of five children and just an interesting, inspiring person. Igor Zadorozhny served in a special task force. Once being on a special task in Chechnya, he was blown up by a land mine; he lost his leg, but continued to command. As a result of the injuries, Igor Zadorozhny lost the second leg and right arm.

I have already met with a military man who went through the Afghan war, and who had the same story as Igor Zadorozhny. This is Valery Anatolyevich Burkov. Today he is a monk, Father Cyprian. Both heroes recall the feat of the pilot Alexei Maresyev, who lost both legs during the Great Patriotic War, but returned to duty. Father Cyprian recalls: “When I woke up, at that time, Alexei Maresyev, the famous Soviet pilot, suddenly appeared before my eyes. He told me: “Live. Accept life as it is. I’d somehow survived, found the strength to live.” And it gave me an impetus to something new and unknown.” Igor Sergeevich Zadorozhny knows Valery Anatolyevich Burkov, father Cyprian.

We also asked Igor Sergeevich about his hobby. It turns out that he loves hunting and fishing. Bogdan Zaitsev asked Igor Sergeevich: “What does childhood mean to you? Describe, please, in one word.” Igor Sergeevich, without thinking twice, answered: “Horses”, and then explained: “My grandfather kept the horses. I enjoyed tinkering with them. It gave me even more pleasure when he let me ride them. I couldn’t figure out why he gave me a horse and not a saddle. But later I realized: a lot of kids fall from a horse - a leg gets stuck in a stirrup, so that one cannot cope and can die.

When I grew up, I, as a local youth, rode a motorcycle a lot. Parents were afraid that I might break. But God saved me. He saves me.

Summing up our meeting, I want to say. Igor Sergeevich Zadorozhny is really the man to take an example from. It is interesting to communicate with him. Also he said: “I will definitely come to you to see everyone and to hug.” We wait for the day when we’ll meet face to face.