She Lost Part of Her Leg After Shelling and Won the Rhythmic Gymnastics Competition: The Story of 7-Year-Old Sasha Paskal in the Museum of Civilian Voices of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation

Seven-year-old gymnast Sasha had to have part of her leg amputated as a consequence of Russian air attack on Odesa region. After prosthetics, the girl returned to training and won the rhythmic gymnastics competition in Chornomorsk. Maria Paskal, the girl’s mother, shared her daughter’s story with the Museum of Civilian Voices of the Rinat Akhmetov Foundation.

On that summer day, Maria was in the yard of their house. She did not even hear how the missile was flying, but she felt the explosion in full. When she came to her senses, the woman began to look for Sasha.

“Our daughter was lying on her belly. A concrete slab, a very heavy and very large one, was lying on her leg. Her arm was dislocated, so that her bones were seen, and her finger was hanging loose. She also had a lot of bruises on her head,” recalls Maria.

Their neighbours helped lift the slab and take the child to the hospital. The girl was operated on. Doctors were most of all worried about the possible serious consequences of a concussion.

“The doctors did not say anything about her leg at first. Later, when they saw that the blood circulation did not resume and that the leg was cold, they began to prepare us for the amputation,” says Maria.

You can watch and listen to the story about how the child reacted to her condition, how she fought for a full-fledged life, how the girl returned to training, and how she explains why she wants to become an Olympic champion at the link https://bit.ly/46kzVSh

Every war story matters. To keep the memory for a better future, share your story on the portal of the Museum of Civilian Voice https://civilvoicesmuseum.org/ or via the toll-free hotline 0 (800) 509 001.