When Elmira Knutsen from Moscow walks in the yard with her youngest daughter Vasilisa, passers-by may notice that the charming, smiling girl does not move her arms at all, although her legs are constantly in motion. And in summer, neighbors often watch Vasilisa sitting in the sandbox barefoot, deftly fingering the sand with her toes. Even after finding out what’s the matter, people at first just don’t believe it – mom herself looks so happy and contented with life. And the thing is that little Vasilisa was born without hands…
Vasilisa was born in the Sverdlovsk region in March 2015. Seeing that the child does not have a left hand, but instead of the right a small appendage with two fingers, the biological mother made a decision that, unfortunately, seems natural to many, even correct. She refused her daughter!
Photos of a charming gray-eyed girl soon began to appear on adoptive parents’ forums. People retold that Vasilisa’s parents were not alcoholics, not some kind of marginals, but ordinary people who were just scared. But the girl still had little chance to find a new family. Everyone understood perfectly well that no one would want to take a child without hands. Especially now that foreign adoption is almost completely banned. But miracles do happen!
And the fact that Chris and Elmira Knutsen found out about Vasilisa is the best proof of that. Elmira is from Bashkiria, Chris is a US citizen. They already have one adopted son and two relatives. And the couple decided that they wanted another daughter. The court took a long time to decide whether to allow the Knutsen spouses to raise Vasilisa, whether to condemn her to a life in a disabled home. All because of Chris’ American citizenship. But, fortunately, the fact that the family lives permanently in Moscow turned out to be decisive.
Now Vasilisa has a mom, dad and three older brothers who adore her. The girl is slowly getting up on her feet, hoach and it is difficult for her to keep the balance yet. But just look at how deftly she eats! Unfortunately, «darkness» still reigns outside the walls of the house filled with laughter and joy.
The eldest foster child in the Knutsen family was also born with pathology, and Elmira admits that people often react inadequately to her children: «They look, cross themselves and run away. So, often 6 times in two years the family goes to the USA to Chris’ parents. Maybe someday Vasilisa, tired of the sidelong glances of other people, will even want to move there forever.» But for now, this little bright-eyed angel lives in Russia and gives others a chance to realize what real beauty is.
