While delivering humanitarian aid in Ukraine, Eddy Scott from Shaftesbury suffered major injuries during a drone attack
‘It’s the people that make this country. They are so kind, so helpful.’
Last month The BV brought you the story of Eddy Scott, the Dorset humanitarian aid worker who was injured during a Russian drone strike in Ukraine. On the eve of the third anniversary of the conflict, Eddy spoke to Rachael Rowe from his hospital bed in Kyiv about his ongoing care, the future… and his thoughts on Donald Trump…
Superhumans
Eddy is just three weeks into his recovery programme, but already has plans for the future. His left arm and left leg had to be amputated after a drone struck his vehicle as he was evacuating civilians from a shelled area. His life was saved by a colleague: ‘Considering I got blown up a few weeks ago I’m doing pretty well. I’m very positive, recovery is going well and I’m being looked after fantastically.
‘I’m staying here for a few more weeks and then the plan is to head west to Lviv. I’m going to Superhumans, a well-renowned centre – it’s not been confirmed yet but it’s the most likely. I can start my rehab and get my prosthetic leg.’
Superhumans Center in Lviv is a specialist orthopaedic hospital for adults and children from war zones who need treatment and rehabilitation for amputations and require prosthetics. As a consequence of the war with Russia, Ukraine currently has more than 50,000 people living with an amputation.
‘I’ve been sailing luxury yachts for the best part of ten years but there wasn’t much in terms of giving back. When the war with Ukraine started I was in the position where I had the skills to be able to help out. I felt I needed to do something more and everything lined up at the right time. After speaking with various people in the humanitarian world I realised it was something I could do. I didn’t have any experience of the work but I had transferable skills.
‘Initially I was only planning on staying for three months, helping out and then go back to sea. Now, I live in Ukraine. I have been given veteran status by the Ukrainian government, which means I can get a fairly easy path to residency, which is what I want. I’m being looked after by the Ukrainian government so it makes sense to stay here.
‘Right from the start I met the most incredible people. They are so kind, so generous. There have been times when I’ve broken down by the side of the road in the middle of nowhere: immediately locals are offering to fix the car, giving me lunch … they are really kind people. It’s the people that really make this country.
‘And the country itself is beautiful. I had a very western view of Ukraine before I came here – it was an ex-Soviet country, so it must be grey, wet and miserable. And then I got here and realised the country isn’t like that at all! The scenery is stunning, there’s an incredible history and wonderful culture.’
On Trump
At present, Eddy is being treated for an infection – common with war zone trauma. Once that is resolved, surgeons will close the wounds and form the stumps. When the wounds have healed, Eddy will be able to go on to the rehabilitation programme at Superhumans.
‘They will work on building my strength up. It’s called pre-hab, and it makes sure my body is ready for the prosthetics. I’ll get my leg sorted first so I can get walking. That’s two months in rehab getting my confidence walking. The arm they will sort at a later date as it’s more complicated. Then my future plans … well, there’s so much I want to do.
‘I want to see more of the country, that’s something I never had the chance to do. Also I want to take my experience forward to help other people, helping Ukrainians themselves but also to share what I feel is the truth about Ukraine.’
When I spoke to Eddy, most of Europe and the wider world was astonished to hear Donald Trump’s speech on the ‘dictator’ president, Zelensky and to see negotiations begin – without the Ukrainians at the table.
A couple of days later, The president and vice president had the now-famous showdown of a press call with President Zelensky in the Oval Office. Eddy had also seen the broadcasts: he write on Instagram: “Don’t ever tell us we aren’t grateful. Every time I met the lads coming off a mission and the M113 pulled up I was grateful.
Every time I watched Patriots battle missiles and drones over Kyiv I was grateful. Every time I saw a USAID food distribution point I was grateful. Why should I be grateful now?”
‘It’s straight up insulting,’ he told The BV. ‘What Trump has been saying about Ukraine shows a basic lack of understanding. Putin started this war. And it hasn’t been going on for three years, it started 11 years ago in 2014 with Maidan and the annexation of Crimea and Donbas.
‘The fact that Trump doesn’t see this, or maybe just chooses to ignore it … It’s insulting and yet it isn’t surprising. I was very aware of who Trump was before he won the election. He has never been a friend of Ukraine. I think it’s the speed at which he has turned on us, it’s the speed at which it has happened that is the shock. Already, we are just being abandoned. It’s scary thinking about where Ukraine will be in two, three, six months time because of Trump.’
Feeling so lucky
Eddy’s injuries were caused by a drone strike on the vehicle he was driving. Russian drone strikes on civilians are increasing in Ukraine and have been happening for some time.
‘Drone pilots will just fly over cities deliberately targeting civilians. The day before I was targeted, a civilian was hit in the city we were in. He had gone out on errands in a white Lada with signs on the front and back and a white rag tied to it, which is a clear civilian marker. They targeted him with a drone and it went through the roof, seriously injuring him. He was taken to hospital and his wife had no idea what had happened. He just didn’t come home. So one of our jobs that day was to find the wife and evacuate her to the hospital. With the FPV drones you can see right up until the last second who they are targeting.’
Eddy remains remarkably upbeat:
‘I’m surrounded by friends and by the most incredible people. I’m lucky to have that support network. The first two days after I was injured, maybe 35 people turned up. Then in the first week 100 people came to see me! Some of them were friends, and some had just heard my story and wanted to visit.
‘I’m very positive going forward. I have all these plans for the future. Beforehand, the work I was doing, living in Eastern Ukraine, you don’t really make plans for the future. You just live from day to day and don’t expect to survive too much longer. Now I have been given a future.
‘So I have all these plans that I never had before. To continue helping Ukraine in different ways and to find out how to own a property here. And just live and exist, and enjoy this country more. I have a future which I’m really excited about. ‘
If Eddy could magically turn the clock back, knowing what has happened, would he have still gone to Ukraine?
‘Yes. Absolutely. It’s a massive life change. Even getting blown up and with everything that’s happened it has been one of the most positive experiences. It has given me a purpose. I have a Ukrainian god daughter here. My best mate asked me to be his daughter’s godfather last summer – it is a massive honour, and it was at that point I knew this was the place I wanted to be. I have had so many positive experiences here, I cannot imagine my life without this.
‘Don’t get me wrong. I miss my left arm and left leg. But with everything Ukraine is giving me, it’s a small price to pay for the freedom of the country. And getting to enjoy that freedom.’
If you would like to contribute to Eddy’s Recovery GoFundMe, you can find it here
https://bit.ly/EddysRecoveryFeeling so lucky
Eddy’s injuries were caused by a drone strike on the vehicle he was driving. Russian drone strikes on civilians are increasing in Ukraine and have been happening for some time.
‘Drone pilots will just fly over cities deliberately targeting civilians. The day before I was targeted, a civilian was hit in the city we were in. He had gone out on errands in a white Lada with signs on the front and back and a white rag tied to it, which is a clear civilian marker. They targeted him with a drone and it went through the roof, seriously injuring him. He was taken to hospital and his wife had no idea what had happened. He just didn’t come home. So one of our jobs that day was to find the wife and evacuate her to the hospital. With the FPV drones you can see right up until the last second who they are targeting.’
Eddy remains remarkably upbeat:
‘I’m surrounded by friends and by the most incredible people. I’m lucky to have that support network. The first two days after I was injured, maybe 35 people turned up. Then in the first week 100 people came to see me! Some of them were friends, and some had just heard my story and wanted to visit.
‘I’m very positive going forward. I have all these plans for the future. Beforehand, the work I was doing, living in Eastern Ukraine, you don’t really make plans for the future. You just live from day to day and don’t expect to survive too much longer. Now I have been given a future.
‘So I have all these plans that I never had before. To continue helping Ukraine in different ways and to find out how to own a property here. And just live and exist, and enjoy this country more. I have a future which I’m really excited about. ‘
If Eddy could magically turn the clock back, knowing what has happened, would he have still gone to Ukraine?
‘Yes. Absolutely. It’s a massive life change. Even getting blown up and with everything that’s happened it has been one of the most positive experiences. It has given me a purpose. I have a Ukrainian god daughter here. My best mate asked me to be his daughter’s godfather last summer – it is a massive honour, and it was at that point I knew this was the place I wanted to be. I have had so many positive experiences here, I cannot imagine my life without this.
‘Don’t get me wrong. I miss my left arm and left leg. But with everything Ukraine is giving me, it’s a small price to pay for the freedom of the country. And getting to enjoy that freedom.’
If you would like to contribute to Eddy’s Recovery GoFundMe, you can find it here
https://bit.ly/EddysRecovery
