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<\/p>\nOksana Masters’ early years were spent in the Ukraine in 1989, and she has many childhood memories from the time. <\/p>\n
Not every one of them is enjoyable. She was neglected and left behind. Everything began in 1986 with the catastrophic Chernobyl accident. <\/p>\n
Oksana, who was just 36 inches tall and 35 pounds in weight at the time, resided roughly 200 miles away from Chernobyl. <\/p>\n
Her left leg was six inches shorter than her right at birth, and she was born with one kidney, a half stomach, six toes on each foot, and webbed fingers on each thumbless. <\/p>\n
Her biological family gave her up for adoption, and she resided in three orphanages before Gay Masters, a single American lady, adopted her when she was seven years old. <\/p>\n
Masters brought her to the US following a challenging two-year process, according to The Guardian. She competes in multiple paralympic sports now.<\/p>\n
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In the Courier Journal, her mother Gay Master discussed her first encounter with Oksana. \u2018I had intended to adopt an infant because I know <\/p>\n
through my line of work how important the first year is for development,\u2019 stated Gay, \u2018but then I was given a black and white photograph of this little girl, <\/p>\n
there was a sparkle in her eyes and I knew, even though this child was not who I had set out to find, this was my daughter.\u2019<\/p>\n
A speech pathologist at the University of Louisville told Gay back then not to adopt the girl, <\/p>\n
especially since she had so many physical difficulties. However, Gay ignored everyone and followed her own path. <\/p>\n
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Gay claimed that after learning of this, the orphanage had given young Oksana a photo of her mother and promised to come fetch her. <\/p>\n
Gay spent a full year completing the adoption paperwork while Oksana anxiously awaited her arrival and planned her departure. <\/p>\n
\u2018If I did something wrong, the orphanage would tell me the American woman didn’t want a bad child and she wasn’t coming,\u2019 Oksana recounted. <\/p>\n
When Gay returned, Oksana’s little eyes twitched with recognition. \u2018I recognize you; you are my mother,\u2019 she said, <\/p>\n
removing a photo of Gay that was securely stored on the nightstand. When Oksana talks about her early years growing up gay in America, <\/p>\n
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she smiles at their differences.\u2019Oh yeah, my mom and I were very different; she loves books and I loved to climb trees.\u2019<\/p>\n
Since Oksana moved quickly, it was not too difficult for her to become used to walking and running on her prosthetic limbs. <\/p>\n
She underwent numerous reconstructive procedures in America to improve her ability to utilize both hands. <\/p>\n
\u2018I had figured out by that point that sports were a kind of therapy for her and I signed her up for horseback riding lesson,\u2019 Gay recalled. <\/p>\n
\u2018I told her it was a state law in Kentucky that everyone learned how to ride a horse.\u2019 Saying, \u2018I didn’t like the idea of <\/p>\n
a sport that was geared towards people with disabilities,\u2019 Oksana described sports as her therapy and her way out of the world. \u2018I wanted to feel like everyone else\u2019<\/p>\n
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In addition, Oksana talked about the ongoing sexual, psychological, and physical abuse she experienced <\/p>\n
in Ukraine in a film titled \u2018Survivor\u2019 that was posted on the Players’ Tribune website. \u2018I simply believed that I would be able to assist other girls, <\/p>\n
other children living in orphanages, who had experienced trauma and were unable to find healing. And sports provided me a means to heal, <\/p>\n
let everything out, find myself, and rediscover myself in a positive way. That is the power of sport. and alter my story’s plot,\u2019 she declares. <\/p>\n