Oksana Baiul's father passes away

[John King]

I checked in at www.oksanastyle.com,and it mentions that Oksana's father,Sergei,died on Feb. 3rd ant the age of 54.It doesn't mention any other details.

[annie]

This may sound innapropriate....but isnt her father already dead?Well, dah, no, but I remember watching a film about her life, and I'm pretty sure she was an orphan! Has anybody else watched that film?

[danibellerika]

I thought it was her mom that was already dead. Either way, I'm sorry to hear this news. 54 is by no means old nowadays, but I hear the life expectancy around there is extremely bad (like around 60 or so for the men).

[carole56]

She was called an orphan because her dad abandoned the family and then her mom died. I believe her grandparents also died when she was little.

[Diana]

This may sound innapropriate....but isnt her father already dead?Well, dah, no, but I remember watching a film about her life, and I'm pretty sure she was an orphan! Has anybody else watched that film?
I've seen that filme too ;)
Her dad was not deadm he just abandoned her and her family :rolleyes:

[SashaTarafan]

So sad to hear about Oksana's father. I am glad she finally go to meet him before he died.

Oksana's father abandoned her and her mother when Oksana was 2, she and her mother lived with her grandparents, her grandparents died shortly thereafter....Oksana's mother died when Oksana was only 13 (of ovarian cancer). So after that she literally had no one, that is when her coach Galina took her in. She only met her father for the first time a couple of years ago. No offense to the man but I cannot imagine abandoning my child and then not even coming back for her after the rest of her family died. I have always felt so bad for Oksana she (at just 13) had been through so much, while at the same time a world class athlete on the verge of winning the Olympic Gold medal.

Oh yeah, just thought of something. Didn't they say last night, during the Opening Ceremonies, that Oksana's gold medal was Ukraines first and only Olympic medal ever?

[manfreda]

That is tragic-- she lost everyone she loves except, I think, her paternal grandfather. She was my favorite skater before Sasha came on the scene. She was another ice ballerina.

[Swathi13]

I honestly wonder what her father felt when he heard the daughter he abandoned became an Olympic Gold Medallist. Did he regret leaving her?

I think it speaks volumes of the kind of woman Oksana is to overcome so many tragedies in her young life to become the person she is today. She's made her fair share of mistakes, but she's learned from them and moved on, and that's the kind of person one should aspire to be.

I'm sorry to hear about the death of her father and wish her well in this difficult time.

[John King]

If anyone wants to send her a letter of condolences,the address is:

Oksana Baiul
350-5th Ave,Suite 1814
New York,NY
U.S.A. 10118-1814

[Viktoria]

Just because a man is a sperm doner, it doesn't make him a father. My biological father hated my mother (with justification, as I found out after they were both dead), so he had no love for me, as well. When he died, I was indifferent. I was blessed to find someone in the last six years of his life who gave me more love, and was more a father to me, than my biological father ever did or was. If I were Oksana, I would care less if that man died--he wasn't there when she needed him--

[SashaTarafan]

Just because a man is a sperm doner, it doesn't make him a father. My biological father hated my mother (with justification, as I found out after they were both dead), so he had no love for me, as well. When he died, I was indifferent. I was blessed to find someone in the last six years of his life who gave me more love, and was more a father to me, than my biological father ever did or was. If I were Oksana, I would care less if that man died--he wasn't there when she needed him--

Viktoria I have to agree with you on that. Oksana's father obviously never cared about her or he would have never left her. Even if I hated my husband I would NEVER leave my children...if I did leave they would be leaving with me.

Also, Viktoria I am sorry you went through that with your parents/Dad. My Grandmother actually raised me so I kinda know how you feel. My parents were around but my Grandmother (God rest her soul) was the one who was always there for me and the one who always loved me. I don't feel about my own Mother the way I felt about her. So I know how you feel.

[Viktoria]

Thank you, SashaTarafan--what a kind reply. A lot of people should never be allowed to have children--if they were abused themselves, they often pass it along to their own children. I know people who I think would be wonderful parents, but they choose not to. From what I have heard, there are a lot of us out there who can never get our heads on straight because of the abuse we suffered as children. For those who slough this off and say, "Get over it," you've never been through it, so you can't know--