‘His nose flipped to his eyes’: After fleeing war, Clackamas family faces new fight after teen son’s rollover crash

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — After fleeing the war in Ukraine and rebuilding their lives in Oregon, one Clackamas family is facing another unimaginable fight — helping their teenage son recover after a devastating rollover crash. Mark Kurylenko, 16, is recovering from serious injuries after the crash on SR-500 eastbound at milepost 1.8, near Northeast 42nd Avenue/Falk Road in Vancouver, on June 21. Mark was riding in the back seat with friends when, according to his family, the driver lost control after swerving and hitting something. The vehicle rolled over. The crash left Mark with life-changing injuries, including severe facial trauma, a serious head injury and damage to his hand. Through her friend and translator Paulina Perju, Nadia Kurylenko described the extent of her son’s injuries. “His finger was basically amputated. His ear, they put together 21 pieces. His nose flipped all the way to his eyes,” Nadia said through Perju. Mark spent time in a coma after the crash and has since regained consciousness. His family says he still faces months of treatment, including reconstructive and plastic surgeries. The Kurylenko family moved to Oregon after leaving Ukraine as the war intensified. In Clackamas, Nadia found support through her church community, where she became friends with Perju. Perju was with Nadia when she received the call about Mark’s crash and has continued helping the family — including translating as they navigate Mark’s medical care. The family says the next steps involve multiple specialists, referrals and surgeries as Nadia works to understand a complicated medical system. “I’m very frustrated,” Nadia said. Along with advocating for Mark’s recovery, Nadia is caring for her husband and their three other children. She says her faith and the support around her family are what keep her going. Friends and family describe Mark as kind, faithful and someone who has built strong relationships in his community. “We definitely notice how many friends he has because they rally around him so much,” Nadia said. “That’s definitely a testimony of how he was kind to other people and his friends.” The family says Mark’s focus now is recovery and returning to the life he loves. A fundraiser has been created to help with his medical expenses and future surgeries.