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Do you remember that feeling when you had a performance at school?
She was born in Ukraine in 1989, just three years after the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster.
Her birth parents abandoned her, leaving the scared little girl alone in an orphanage.
Fortunately, across the ocean lived a woman named Gay Masters who was looking to become a mother.
But how could she give up on her little girl who was waiting for her?
The moment they met, the little girl recognized her.
Mom and daughter were finally together.
Upon their return to America, Oksana began to blossom under Gays care.
She was a rambunctious child, always on the move despite her disabilities.
Oksana eventually lost both of her legs at the age of nine and 14.
She had multiple reconstructive surgeries and quickly learned to walk and even run with her prosthetics.
Gay noticed her daughters knack for sports and encouraged her.
Sports proved to be the right therapy for Oksana, a perfect escape from everything.
I didnt like the idea of a sport that was geared towards people with disabilities, she shared.
I wanted to feel like everyone else.
The adoption process was lengthy and tedious, dragging over 24 months.
In the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, she snagged two gold medals and is looking forward to Paris 2024.
From a little abandoned girl to an inspiring Olympic champion, Oksanas story is worth of a movie.
Did she get her love for sports from Gay?
Now, as a grown woman, she hopes to help others.
And change the narrative of my story.
She recently published a book The Hard Parts: A Story of Courage and Triumph detailing her story.
Brave Oksana chose to talk about it, shedding light on the problem.
No child should suffer the way she did and her biggest dream is to help kids like her.
The story of the Masters family once again proves that love can do seemingly impossible things.
What do you think of this story?
