Healing from within: A Veteran’s journey to helping others

Anna Cherepnina stood at Everest Base Camp, taking in the breathtaking view and reflecting on her journey; She had gone from the depths of despair to scaling new heights of hope—both figuratively and literally. Just a year earlier, Anna was overwhelmed by darkness, struggling to find any reason to keep going. With time and patience, she rebuilt her life and now helps others do the same as an outreach specialist with Wounded Warrior Project (WWP).

“I realized I’ve spent my entire career helping others, so it was time to take my own advice and ask for help,” says Anna. “The key is to take the tiniest of steps—put on your clothes and show up.”

A U.S. Army Reserve Veteran, Anna’s life has been shaped by her experiences in service and her share of challenges. Anna moved to the U.S. from Ukraine in 2001. She was 12 at the time and didn’t know a word of English, but when 9/11 happened, she says she understood what was taking place and felt a deep calling to give back.

“Seeing others join the military inspired me to contribute to the country that embraced me,” shared Anna. “In 2009, I joined the military because I wanted to contribute to the nation that welcomed me and offered opportunities I would never have had in the Ukraine.”

Anna enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve in 2009, where she gained experience as a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Technician at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and served as a Behavioral Specialist and later as a Behavioral Health Supervisor in Combat Operational Stress Control Units. In 2015, she switched over to the Army National Guard, and during that time, she completed occupational therapy fieldwork at Towson University and worked as an Office Assistant at the Veteran Mental Health Center.

It was in 2021, during her second deployment, that she began losing feeling in her limbs and became paralyzed. She received an unexpected diagnosis—multiple sclerosis—which led to her medical retirement in 2022.

“I’ve always loved psychology and the way we deal with life circumstances,” said Anna. “I truly believe everything happens for a reason,” Anna shares. “I’ve been through my own health issues, lost my fiancé and reached a very low point. I didn’t want to live anymore, but my friends came and got me. That’s when I reached out to Wounded Warrior Project.”

One of her very first WWP events was a training program offered through its partner organization, Warrior Canine Connection (WCC), to learn how to help train a service dog. Anna attended and was hooked. She also enlisted WWP’s help with resume writing and networking, and before long, saw a job opening within the organization—Anna says she knew it was where she was supposed to be.

Today, as an outreach specialist with WWP, Anna continues to make an impact. She connects Veterans with the resources they need, drawing from her own experiences and struggles, to guide others on their paths to healing, which regularly includes WWC’s Mission Based Trauma Recovery training program, where Veterans learn to help train service dogs for their fellow Warriors. From the base of Everest to the halls of WWP, Anna’s journey is a powerful reminder that even in our darkest moments, there is always a path to healing—one small step at a time.

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