YEREVAN, AUGUST 27, ARMENPRESS. Norayr Zakharyan who lost one of his legs during the fragile ceasefire following the 4-day April war continues to live an active life, only from time to time remembering about his prosthetic leg.

Norayr was born in 1997 in Gavar city. He served in Martakert (NKR) and was injured in Talish village as a result of mine explosion.

“Armenpress” correspondent met Norayr in Haghartsin monastery, where he and his friend participated in a tent camp of “Fresno” international film festival.

“We left the regiment as soon as the war broke out, in the morning of April 2. We went to the front line to carry out mining activities. Our first impression was that it was a usual incident and would end soon, but it continued for 4-5 more days, not counting the shootings following the ceasefire”, 19-year old Norayr Zakharyan recalls.

According to him, the soldiers were always in a high combat mood, they were never downhearted knowing their families were waiting for them, which encouraged them to face death, defeat it and reach home, even injured, but alive anyway. “Unfortunately, not everyone could do so. We had numerous casualties. Each of them was the light of their families. We had also numerous injured, but as you can see, we have won. The spirits of the guys won. We did not win with the help of our weapons, but the combat spirit of our nation”, Norayr says.

Speaking about his lost leg, Norayr quotes a famous dictum “What does not kill us makes us stronger”. “I served for 9 months. The liked the life of a serviceman, I had dreamt to become a servicemen since childhood. I had decided to remain in army on contract basis, but I was injured”, Norayr tells. He stepped on a mine to hide from adversary shooting. Fortunately, this is already a past. Now he has a leg and walks. Doctor Mkrtich Ginosyan conducted the prosthesis.

Referring to his future plans, Norayr says he has decided to continue his studies, and though has a beloved girl, does not plan to get married yet.

Norayr talks to his fellow servicemen almost everyday and mentions they are in a high mood and were never downhearted and even encourage him saying everything will be nice. “I keep in touch with most of the volunteers who hurried to help me when I received the injuries. I also keep in touch with my fellow ward members: Arman Avetisyan, Arsen Mehrabyan, while Sargis Stepanyan (major of armed forces of Armenia who lost both legs and one hand taking out wounded friend from neutral zone) was not from our ward but was one of those who encouraged us”, Norayr said adding that his injuries are just a minor thing against Sargis’s wounds.

Ani Nazaryan