Svetlana Trubnikova is forty-seven years old. Four years ago, both her legs were amputated below knee and then she lost almost all of her vision. At first, her elder daughter took Svetlana home. Later, however, she decided to return to her own home because the living conditions at her daughter’s were so poor.

Her son Igor became the head of the family. He was only eleven at the time. They are helped by relatives and neighbors. With time, social services and the local authorities also began to help them, but the now fifteen-year-old boy still bears the brunt of the household burden.

Igor and Svetlana share a single room in an old collective farm dormitory in the district center of Vorobyevka in the Voronezh region.

Sometimes Igor complains about pain in his back and his mom gives him a massage.

Igor likes to spend his free time with friends at the school sporting grounds. He prefers to do tricks and chin- ups in order to grow stronger.

Igor is finishing the ninth grade, but school is always a struggle for him.

Despite everything, Svetlana and Igor are positive about their life and like to goof around.

The Trubnikovs were provided with gas and water lines a couple of years ago, but before that Igor had to get water from a well, chop wood, and build a fire in the stove.

Igor does not like to go to bed early, so sometimes Svetlana has to wait for him to calm wind down.

When the Trubnikovs’ case reached the media, their life started to change for the better. The Yelena Rostropovich Charity Foundation began to help them. In the summer, Svetlana and Igor went to a German clinic where she received temporary prostheses. Now she can walk at home on her own.

Svetlana takes off her prostheses only before going to bed. Doctors tried to find prostheses for her in Russia, but they were too heavy for walking.

A representative of the local administration and a journalist visit the Trubnikovs in order to find out how to help the family.

Svetlana’s legs were amputated because of vascular problems. Her poor vision prevented her from noticing that she had developed gangrene.

Now Svetlana can go out on her own, but she still uses a wheelchair for distances.

The Trubnikovs take a taxi to visit the local church or their relatives. Sometimes their acquaintances give them a lift.

Svetlana tries to go to church on all the major holidays.

In Germany, the Trubnikovs met a woman who gave Igor money so that he might fulfill his dream of buying a motorcycle.

Svetlana will have to make one more trip to the clinic to get permanent prostheses. She was also promised an operation that may partially restore her eyesight.

An anonymous benefactor bought a new apartment for Igor and Svetlana to replace of their room in the shabby dormitory. They will be able to move to their new place in a neighboring town when the building is put into service and elevators switched on.

Igor is now dreaming about a Rottweiler puppy, but his mom is against it; there will not be enough space in the new apartment.