Oksana Mommy

Oksana Mommy
Oksana Masters has won eight Olympic medals , and also won the “The Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability” at The Laureus

By Aly Walansky

October 25, 2020

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Oksana Masters has won eight Olympic medals , and also
won the “The Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability”
at The
Laureus World Sports Awards in Berlin, Germany.
It was there, in her acceptance speech, that she thanked her
biggest supporter.
“Mom, thank you for saving me, for giving me a second
opportunity at life,” she said turning towards her mother’s
seat, “and for opening the doors of sports and then waiting for
me until I was ready to walk through that door.”
The television camera then showed her mom, Gay Masters, smiling up at her daughter but then
subtly shaking her head “no.”
“I didn’t save her,” Gay told The Courier Journal . “She would have saved herself, that kid is a survivor.”
In 1989, Oksana was born in Ukraine with severe physical defects, which is believed to be a result of radiation poisoning from the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster.
Oksana was born with six toes on each foot and five webbed fingers on each hand and no thumbs. Her left leg was 6 inches shorter than her right and both were bones.
She was given up for adoption at birth and spent the first seven and a half years of her life in an orphanage.
That is, until Gay, a single woman who wanted to adopt a
baby, found her daughter.
“I had intended to adopt an infant because I know through my line of work how important the first year is for development,” said Gay.
But then I was given a black and white photograph of this little girl, 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.
Gay, who is a speech pathologist at the University of Louisville, says friends warned her not to adopt an older child, especially considering it was one with so many physical challenges.
“That really didn’t concern me, I worked with a lot of children who had cerebral palsy and couldn’t speak — but I always knew there was a person in there,” said Gay.
I was told Oksana would need to have both her legs amputated when she came to the United States, and I thought well that’s OK she can be in a wheelchair and still have a good quality of life.
But then, the adoption process ran into a roadblock.
“The adoption agency kept telling me it would be easier
to just go ahead and adopt a child from Russia, but I knew Oksana was meant to
be my daughter,” she said. “And I had also learned the orphanage
had given her my picture and told her I would come for
her.”
Knowing Oksana was waiting to be adopted, Gay could simply not abandon her.
While Gay did everything in her power to bring her daughter in, Oksana waited.
“If I did something wrong, (the orphanage) would
tell me the American woman didn’t want a bad child and she wasn’t
coming,” remembers Oksana.
Two years later, Gay was in that orphanage dormitory to meet
her daughter.
“I know who you are; you are my mother,” Oksana said. She pulled out a photograph of Gay from her bedside table. She had kept it safe this whole time.
Finally, Gay took her daughter home. At first, they had some communication barriers: Oksana didn’t speak English yet, and Gay did not speak Ukrainian.
But after watching some American cartoons, she began to pick up more of the language.
Oksana and her mom were also pretty different from the start.
Oh yeah my mom and I were very different; she loves books and I loved to climb trees.
Gay delayed the surgery that would see Oksana’s legs amputated, being considerate that a move to another country was already a considerable change.
“I realized I couldn’t bring her to a new home in a new country with a new language and immediately let the doctors remove her legs,” Gay said.
But eventually Oksana’s weakened legs couldn’t hold her weight anymore and they had to be amputated. She had one leg amputated at the age of 9, and the other one at 14.
The surgeries didn’t rob Oksana of her energy. She learned how to run on her prosthetics in no time!
“I had figured out by that point that sports were a kind of therapy for her and I signed her up for horseback riding lesson,” Gay said. “I told her it was a state law in Kentucky that everyone learned how to ride a horse.”
Oksana wasn’t into the idea of riding, or joining the Louisville Adaptive Rowing program on the Ohio River, which one of her teachers suggested.
I didn’t like the idea of a sport that was geared towards people with disabilities. I wanted to feel like everyone else.
But Gay persisted: “I told her it was just one Saturday, and if she didn’t like it, she wouldn’t have to go back.” She told her daughter to “suck it up.”
And it paid off. Oksana ended up loving rowing! “She was pretty quickly the best rower that they had,” Gay said. “I think that’s because she’s determined, stubborn, competitive and motivated.”
Oksana kept with rowing and took it all the way to the Paralympics in London in 2012. By the 2014 Olympics, she had a bunch of silver and bronze medals to her name!
“Sports helped me to learn to appreciate my body more
for what it was able to do, not on what it was missing,” she
said.
She then took up hand cycling, and competed in the 2016 Rio
Olympics, too.
“It is exciting to watch her compete and it does make
me nervous for her,” Gay said. “But you know I am really there
just to support her — not so much because I care about the
outcome — what’s most important is that she is proud of
what she did, whether that’s win or lose.”
Now 30, Oksana is a bonafide star. She has competed in four Paralympics (2012, 2014, 2016, 2018) and is an eight-time Paralympic medalist (2 gold, 3 silver, 3 bronze). She also holds many World Championships trophies.
One thing is sure, she will never forget the girl she had been, and how everything changed. And she has one powerful message to the world:
“To any girl or boy, if you guys look different or you think you look different, never let society determine what you see when you look in the mirror,” Oksana told the crowd. “Never let them (society) determine the preconceived notion of what is possible. Go for it.”
Aly Walansky is a NY-based lifestyles writer focusing on travel, food, and wellness.

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Published: 00:01 BST, 19 September 2020 | Updated: 02:05 BST, 19 September 2020
A bodybuilding mom has admitted that her muscular physique scares people, but she is set out to prove that female bodybuilders aren't 'monsters' and are just like regular women — only stronger.
Oksana Piari, 38, from Russia , has worked hard to develop her incredibly strong physique since she started bodybuilding while studying physical culture and sports as a college student in Stavropol.
'I have always been inspired by muscular female bodies,' said the professional bodybuilder, who now lives in Key West, Florida . 'I came to the sport as a spectator and did not think that one day I would become one of those women who can inspire others to build the body of their dreams.'
Fit: Oksana Piari, 38, from Russia, is a professional bodybuilder and mother-of-two
Disciplined: Oksana works out up to three hours a day and only does strength training to keep in fighting shape
'For me, bodybuilding is a way to, above all, stay beautiful and healthy,' she added.
Oksana met her now-husband, Artem, 34, at the gym in college and the two soon began motivating each other to achieve physical perfection.
Competing initially in the body fitness class, she switched to women's classic bodybuilding in 2013 after her muscles became too big for the former category.
Since then she has had an incredibly successful career, placing third at the European Championship in 2013, first in the NPC Florida Grand Prix in 2016, and second in the famous Arnold Classic in 2019.
Last year, she also won the North American Championship, becoming the first-ever Russian to do so.
Looking back: Oksana started bodybuilding as a college student in Stavropo, Russia. She met her now-husband, Artem, 34, the school's gym. The couple is pictured in their younger years
Memories: Oksana and Artem are pictured dancing on their wedding day
Perfect pair: When the couple first got together, they started motivating each other to achieve physical perfection
Shared passion: Artem is just as fit as his muscular wife, and they have both taken home bodybuilding trophies
Oksana, who moved to Florida in 2016 to compete in some of the biggest competitions in the world, has dedicated her life to achieving what she calls the body of her dreams. However, this hasn't prevented her from starting a family of her own, having two sons: Ilia, 9, and Vlad, 16.
Going to the gym and eating the right food is a must for the mother-of-two and she works out for up to three hours a day doing strength training only — no cardio.
Her sons' classmates are fascinated by her distinct physique and will compliment her and ask her how she achieved her incredible results.
'I like that my sons' classmates always look at me and my muscles with admiration, asking me about my training and nutrition,' she said.
'I see their eyes burning and as a child, I looked at competing women on TV with that very same look.'
Success: In 2019, Oksana won the North American Championship (pictured), becoming the first-ever Russian to do so
Goal: The mom wants to prove that female bodybuilders aren't 'monsters' like people think
Hard to handle: Oksana said men are often jealous of her bulging muscles
Say what? Oksana recalled one awkward encounter she had with a stranger at the gym who came up to her and asked if she is 'really a woman'
Oksana said people's reactions to her body vary, but she will often get compliments from strangers who are interested in learning about her bodybuilding and lifestyle.
'There are also those who are silent and just stare at me or roll their eyes. They are simply afraid,' she added.
She recalled one awkward encounter she had with a stranger at the gym who came up to her and asked if she is 'really a woman.'
'That's why I always try to smile and be friendly to show people that female bodybuilders are not monsters and beasts, but mothers and wives — just with a stronger body,' she explained.
'Men are jealous of my body more often than women. Even my husband's cousin once said that he would like to have a body like mine, so I of course asked him why he needed a female body which made us all laugh.'
Family of four: Oksana and Artem have two children: Ilia, 9, and Vlad, 16
Invested: Her sons' classmates are fascinated by her distinct physique and will compliment her and ask her how she achieved her incredible results
Here to stay: Oksana said she doesn't think she will ever give bodybuilding up
Part of their live: 'Bodybuilding holds and unites our family because we are looking in the same direction and are focused on a united goal,' she said
Oksana's strict meal plan consists of carbohydrates, such as rice, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, and wholegrain bread; lots of protein, including turkey, steak, and seafood; fats from avocado, nuts, and salmon; and plenty of fruit and vegetables.
She regularly eats up to six meals that add up to 3,000 calories per day. However, she cuts down when she is competing, consuming just 1,500 to 2,000 calories a day. During this process, which is known as 'cutting,' her regular weight of 167lbs drops to 150lbs.
With friends and family providing their overwhelming support to Oksana in her bodybuilding ambitions, she has no desire to give it up. For the Piari family, bodybuilding is a way of life, not only providing a means to stay fit and healthy, but also acting as the glue which brings their family together.
'Bodybuilding holds and unites our family because we are looking in the same direction and are focused on a united goal,' she said. 'I don't know if I will ever be done with bodybuilding, as I feel like it's my way of life.
'It gives me strength and wings to fly through life with ease and interest. Bodybuilding is a great way to always be in shape, regardless of age, to stay beautiful and healthy.'
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Oksana Motyka Patchin (left) was prescribed three different types of drugs following a bitter split from her husband over the summer before her suicide plunge with her daughter (right).
Facebook/copy photo

The building at West 53rd Street and 10th Avenue where Oksana Patchin jumped from with her daughter.
G.N.Miller/NYPost

Police transport Oksana Patchin to the hospital after she jumped from the roof of her building with her daughter.
G.N.Miller/NYPost

Police at the scene where Police transport Oksana Patchin jumped to her death with her 5-year-old daughter.
G.N.Miller/NYPost

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The woman who killed her 5-year-old daughter in a suicide leap from a Manhattan rooftop had been battling depression — and was weaning herself off medication when she jumped, her mom said Monday.
Oksana Patchin, 39, was prescribed three different types of drugs following a bitter split from her husband over the summer, her distraught mother told The Post through tears.
But Patchin recently began breaking the pills into pieces in an effort to stop taking them, said the grieving granny, who gave her name as Anna.
“She was taking less and less,” Anna said with a Ukrainian accent.
“I said to her, ‘Oksana — February, March, you will be finished.'”

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