{"id":4222,"date":"2026-07-22T22:07:13","date_gmt":"2026-07-22T22:07:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=4222"},"modified":"2026-07-22T22:07:13","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T22:07:13","slug":"inspiring-story-of-the-day-i-feel-so-incredibly-lucky-to-be-alive-because-i-feel-in-some-ways-i-wasnt-meant-to-be-alive-how-oksana-masters-went-from-a-chernobyl-orphana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=4222","title":{"rendered":"Inspiring story of the day: \u201cI feel so incredibly lucky to be alive, because I feel in some ways, I wasn\u2019t meant to be alive\u201d &#8211; How Oksana Masters went from a Chernobyl orphanage to becoming America\u2019s most decorated Paralympian | International Sports News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"e9jwa\">\n<div class=\"vdo_embedd\">\n<div class=\"GfdvZ\">\n<section class=\"_bIDB  clearfix id-r-component leadmedia undefined undefined  E9tg9 \" style=\"top:0px\">\n<div class=\"_bIDB\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">\n<div class=\"ypVvZ\">\n<div class=\"WGttI\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-132567684,imgsize-803001,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/inspiring-story-of-the-day-i-feel-so-incredibly-lucky-to-be-alive-because-i-feel-in-some-ways-i-wasnt-meant-to-be-alive-how-oksana-masters-went-from-a-chernobyl-orphanage-to-becoming-americas-most-decorated-paralympian.jpg\" alt=\"Inspiring story of the day: \u201cI feel so incredibly lucky to be alive, because I feel in some ways, I wasn\u2019t meant to be alive\u201d - How Oksana Masters went from a Chernobyl orphanage to becoming America\u2019s most decorated Paralympian\" title=\"Inspiring story of the day: \u201cI feel so incredibly lucky to be alive, because I feel in some ways, I wasn\u2019t meant to be alive\u201d - How Oksana Masters went from a Chernobyl orphanage to becoming America\u2019s most decorated Paralympian (Image via Getty)\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"Ta7d_ img_cptn\"><span title=\"Inspiring story of the day: \u201cI feel so incredibly lucky to be alive, because I feel in some ways, I wasn\u2019t meant to be alive\u201d - How Oksana Masters went from a Chernobyl orphanage to becoming America\u2019s most decorated Paralympian (Image via Getty)\">Inspiring story of the day: \u201cI feel so incredibly lucky to be alive, because I feel in some ways, I wasn\u2019t meant to be alive\u201d &#8211; How Oksana Masters went from a Chernobyl orphanage to becoming America\u2019s most decorated Paralympian (Image via Getty)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Oksana Masters is celebrated today as America\u2019s most decorated Paralympian, but medals tell only a small part of her story. Long before she stood on Paralympic podiums, she was a little girl fighting to survive in Ukrainian orphanages after being born with severe birth differences linked to the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.<!-- --> Every day was a battle for food, warmth, and hope. Instead of letting those painful years define her future, she built a life that few could have imagined. Her journey shows that where you begin does not have to decide where you finish.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"3\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>How Oksana Masters survived a childhood few could imagine<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p>Oksana Masters was born on June 19, 1989, in Khmelnytskyi, Ukraine, an area affected by radioactive fallout after the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. She was born with serious congenital limb differences, including missing weight-bearing bones in her legs and hand deformities. <!-- -->Unable to receive the medical care she needed, she was placed in state orphanages soon after birth.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"9\"\/>She spent the first seven and a half years of her life moving between orphanages where hunger, neglect and abuse were part of everyday life. Looking back on those years, Oksana has often spoken about how close she came to never getting a second chance.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"11\"\/>\u201cI feel so incredibly lucky to be alive, because I feel in some ways, I wasn\u2019t meant to be alive. I know there are kids that don\u2019t make it out of the orphanages. I\u2019ve had good friends that didn\u2019t make it, and I\u2019m going to live every little moment for those kids.\u201d<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"15\"\/>Those words remain one of the most emotional reflections on her childhood and the reason she refuses to take life for granted.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"17\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>How Oksana Masters found a new life after adoption<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p>Everything changed when American university professor Gay Masters adopted Oksana and brought her to the United States at the age of seven. <!-- -->For the first time, she had a family, safety and access to proper medical treatment.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"22\"\/>Her new beginning also came with difficult decisions. Because of constant pain caused by her leg condition, doctors amputated her left leg when she was nine and her right leg when she was 14. She also underwent several surgeries on her hands.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"24\"\/>The physical pain was enormous, but Oksana kept moving forward. Every surgery gave her another chance to live more independently, and every challenge made her stronger than before.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"27\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>How sports helped Oksana Masters rebuild her life<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p>Sport entered Oksana\u2019s life when her mother encouraged her to try adaptive rowing. What started as a way to heal soon became her purpose. Training gave her confidence and a healthy way to deal with years of emotional pain.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"30\"\/>Speaking about the role sports played in her life, Oksana once said:<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"32\"\/>\u201cWithout sport, I would not have had that healthy way to scream\u2026 Sports helped me to channel pain, anger, and grief into something positive, rather than allowing those hard parts to leave a negative imprint.\u201d<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"35\"\/>She went on to win a bronze medal in rowing at the London 2012 Paralympics. When a back injury ended that chapter, she refused to give up. Instead, she switched to cross-country skiing, biathlon and cycling, proving once again that setbacks could become new opportunities.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"38\"\/><\/p>\n<p><h2>Why Oksana Masters continues to inspire millions around the world<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p>Over the years, Oksana Masters has become one of the greatest Paralympians in history. She has won medals across both the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games in multiple sports, making her America\u2019s most decorated Paralympian.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"42\"\/>Even after reaching the top, she has never forgotten where her journey began. She continues to encourage others to believe that their past does not decide their future.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"44\"\/>As Oksana has said: \u201cYou are not the product of where you came from. You are not what happened to you\u2026 When we rewrite, we heal. When we rewrite, we get stronger. When we rewrite, we\u2019re unstoppable.\u201d<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"46\"\/>Her story is about much more than medals. It is about surviving when the odds seemed impossible, finding hope through love and sport, and choosing courage over fear every single day. That is why Oksana Masters continues to inspire people across the world, not because of how many medals she has won, but because of everything she had to overcome before winning them.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"48\"\/><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/sports\/international-sports\/inspiring-story-of-the-day-i-feel-so-incredibly-lucky-to-be-alive-because-i-feel-in-some-ways-i-wasnt-meant-to-be-alive-how-oksana-masters-went-from-a-chernobyl-orphanage-to-becoming-americas-most-decorated-paralympian\/articleshow\/132567686.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Inspiring story of the day: \u201cI feel so incredibly lucky to be alive, because I feel in some ways, I wasn\u2019t meant to be alive\u201d &#8211; How Oksana Masters went from a Chernobyl orphanage to becoming America\u2019s most decorated Paralympian (Image via Getty) Oksana Masters is celebrated today as America\u2019s most decorated Paralympian, but medals [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4223,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4222","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-31"],"magazineBlocksPostFeaturedMedia":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/inspiring-story-of-the-day-i-feel-so-incredibly-lucky-to-be-alive-because-i-feel-in-some-ways-i-wasn-150x150.avif","medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/inspiring-story-of-the-day-i-feel-so-incredibly-lucky-to-be-alive-because-i-feel-in-some-ways-i-wasn-300x169.avif","medium_large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/inspiring-story-of-the-day-i-feel-so-incredibly-lucky-to-be-alive-because-i-feel-in-some-ways-i-wasn.avif","large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/inspiring-story-of-the-day-i-feel-so-incredibly-lucky-to-be-alive-because-i-feel-in-some-ways-i-wasn.avif","1536x1536":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/inspiring-story-of-the-day-i-feel-so-incredibly-lucky-to-be-alive-because-i-feel-in-some-ways-i-wasn.avif","2048x2048":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/inspiring-story-of-the-day-i-feel-so-incredibly-lucky-to-be-alive-because-i-feel-in-some-ways-i-wasn.avif","blogsy-small":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/inspiring-story-of-the-day-i-feel-so-incredibly-lucky-to-be-alive-because-i-feel-in-some-ways-i-wasn.avif","blogsy-small-tall":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/inspiring-story-of-the-day-i-feel-so-incredibly-lucky-to-be-alive-because-i-feel-in-some-ways-i-wasn.avif","blogsy-small-square":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/inspiring-story-of-the-day-i-feel-so-incredibly-lucky-to-be-alive-because-i-feel-in-some-ways-i-wasn.avif","blogsy-small-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/inspiring-story-of-the-day-i-feel-so-incredibly-lucky-to-be-alive-because-i-feel-in-some-ways-i-wasn.avif","blogsy-medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/inspiring-story-of-the-day-i-feel-so-incredibly-lucky-to-be-alive-because-i-feel-in-some-ways-i-wasn.avif","blogsy-medium-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/inspiring-story-of-the-day-i-feel-so-incredibly-lucky-to-be-alive-because-i-feel-in-some-ways-i-wasn.avif","blogsy-large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/inspiring-story-of-the-day-i-feel-so-incredibly-lucky-to-be-alive-because-i-feel-in-some-ways-i-wasn.avif","blogsy-wide":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/inspiring-story-of-the-day-i-feel-so-incredibly-lucky-to-be-alive-because-i-feel-in-some-ways-i-wasn.avif"},"magazineBlocksPostAuthor":{"name":"admin","avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"magazineBlocksPostCommentsNumber":"0","magazineBlocksPostExcerpt":"Inspiring story of the day: \u201cI feel so incredibly lucky to be alive, because I feel in some ways, I wasn\u2019t meant to be alive\u201d &#8211; How Oksana Masters went from a Chernobyl orphanage to becoming America\u2019s most decorated Paralympian (Image via Getty) Oksana Masters is celebrated today as America\u2019s most decorated Paralympian, but medals [&hellip;]","magazineBlocksPostCategories":["\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 \u0b2c\u0b3f\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36"],"magazineBlocksPostViewCount":1,"magazineBlocksPostReadTime":4,"magazine_blocks_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/inspiring-story-of-the-day-i-feel-so-incredibly-lucky-to-be-alive-because-i-feel-in-some-ways-i-wasn.avif",400,225,false],"medium":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/inspiring-story-of-the-day-i-feel-so-incredibly-lucky-to-be-alive-because-i-feel-in-some-ways-i-wasn-300x169.avif",300,169,true],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/inspiring-story-of-the-day-i-feel-so-incredibly-lucky-to-be-alive-because-i-feel-in-some-ways-i-wasn-150x150.avif",150,150,true]},"magazine_blocks_author":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/author\/admin"},"magazine_blocks_comment":0,"magazine_blocks_author_image":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g","magazine_blocks_category":"<a href=\"#\" class=\"category-link category-link-31\">\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 \u0b2c\u0b3f\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36<\/a>","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4222","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4222"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4222\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4223"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4222"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4222"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4222"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}