“No need for pity, they are strong”
Citizen of Abovyan, Sevak Mkhitaryan was 17 years old when he lost his legs when filling gas from a car gas tank into a house container.
"I felt bad in the beginning and didn't even want to go outside, but then everything changed," says 26-year old Sevak, who has been playing for the "Pyunik" non-governmental organization's basketball team for the past six years.
The team has seven members, and there used to be more before. Sevak says the most serious issue during basketball practice is his wheels, which are very expensive.
In addition, Sevak has also been sailing for the past four years.
This year, for the first time ever, Sevak joined the Armenian team and participated in the world championship for the sailing of the disabled held in Vermut, England. The team didn't win, but Sevak was content.
Sevak says unemployment is biggest difficulty. He is a lawyer and has applied to several companies, but there hasn't been any response.
Sevak receives a 14,500 dram pension, but what fills him with more indignation is the society's attitude.
"Recently in England, nobody noticed that there was a person in a wheelchair. Armenians think if a person is in a wheelchair, he is poor," says Sevak, assured that people shouldn't feel pity for the disabled because the latter are strong."
