The unthinkable happened. Many, but not all, believed that Roman Kostomarov would win this time too – diseases fell with a bang, driving them into oblivion. Since January 10, he has found himself close to death more than once. Bilateral pneumonia. Necrosis. Lower leg amputation. Instead of brushes – stumps. The inevitability of severe disability was not considered the most tragic outcome. He, 46 years old, is no longer a boy. Just to get up…
Rise against the odds
And got up. As? Honestly? Unclear. She trains with prosthetics, torments the stationary bike for an hour a day, delivering so much energy that many young people never dreamed of.
Just don’t make predictions. Be careful with predictions: now, for sure, miracle skates will be built for Roman, he will step on the ice again, he will ride in the show. Here it is: it is not necessary, we will postpone, to what. And why else? Let everything take its unpredictable course. Who knows what else will come up. After all, diseases are insidious. Will the exhausted body survive? Will fight-worn nerves fall? And there is much more that can interfere, stop, again throw a hospital bed.
Real people are those who overcome what cannot be overcome
Anyway, Kostomarov has already accomplished his feat. I do not consider it blasphemy to compare with the great hero Alexei Petrovich Maresyev, a pilot with amputated feet. Just like this real person, Roman’s strength trampled on the disease, even the amputation did not give up, which seemed to deprive the champion of the last chances for him. What an example for those in trouble! So it’s still possible, when you’re trampled on the ground from all sides, can’t you get past the obvious ones?
Why else did Maresyev come to mind? He shot down planes with fascist crosses, he fought for our victory. And for me, Kostomarov’s perfect words are similar to Maresyev’s. Roman said them, yes, on February 24, 2022: “To tolerate Western influence in the whole situation around the world for so long, and now with Ukraine, is a utopia. Russia did not tolerate it!” Only a man of conviction and courage could say so.
he is not alone
Pistorius is a very difficult guy. But he was the first to win a world championship medal among fast-footed athletes with his prosthesis. Photo: Getty Images
Everything happens in life. He met Oscar Pistorius. A rather unusual type. Not a little, just “a lot” not of this world. There is an excuse: at 11 months, the little South African had his feet removed. And he started running. Special flexible prostheses were made. Pistorius’ victories at the Paralympics surprised few. But for the first time in the history of the old lady of athletics, he began to compete with those whom life had awarded with excellent health. At the 2011 World Championships, she won silver in the 4×400 meter relay as part of the South African team. Her prosthetics were now called “cheetahs”. Sometimes they were praised, and not a runner without legs. He spat on all the reproaches. In 2012 in London, together with the 4x400m team, he reached the Olympic final. Oscar Pistorius was sometimes praised, sometimes they tried to drown him out, declaring that he was winning thanks to Iceland’s miraculous prosthetics. Nonsense. He won thanks to perseverance, sportsmanship.
He was strange. Sitting with him several times at the same table in a five-star hotel, I was amazed at the amount of alcohol Oscar absorbed. He, always impeccably dressed, danced beautifully. I did not hold candles, but the dance partners, in my opinion, quickly became close friends. They explained to me that women are his first and wild passion. The second is alcohol.
Both killed Pistorius. A difficult relationship with a beautiful model ended in a shooting in the bathroom. Riva Steenkamp was found murdered. They tried to bring the national hero of South Africa under the manslaughter article in a state of insanity. But justice prevailed. The murder is premeditated, the state of pride of the nation at the time of the tragedy is sane. A long prison term put an end to his sports career. But the name of the legless runner Oscar Pistorius has not faded from the memory of sports fans.
It can’t be like that at all.
Nick Vuychich, a man with no limbs, became a writer, inspirational speaker, and also the father of four children. Photo: Reuters
Nicholas Vujicic is an American from a family of Serbian emigrants. He was born with virtually no limbs. There was only a part of the foot with two fused toes. At the age of 10, he tried to commit suicide, but did not want to cause pain to his loving and loving parents.
There has been a renaissance. She incredibly learned to walk, swim. Then it was skateboarding’s turn, he dominated the surfboard.
Now Vuychich is a real writer, he prints his works on a computer. Trips with motivational conferences around the world. He convinces his listeners with his own example: everything is subject to one person. He visited Russia several times and shocked Moscow and Sochi with inspiring revelations. He appeared on our television.
But what catches my attention the most is something else. Very intimate, but in this case uplifting, not to be missed. Nicolás is not only married. He is the father of many children. He and his wife Kanae have two sons and twin girls. Nick was inspired: children must be born healthy. And faith, firmness, motivation defeated bad genetics. Four children are absolutely healthy.
