On February 21st, 2013, a heart stopped beating, the heart of OLGA BUTENKO — the heart of a sweet, tender, golden, and precocious girl. She was a student at the Stary Oskol Medical College (SOMC) and participant in the 2011 and 2012 ‘Nord-Ost’ requiem concerts.

“A good person is not one who knows how to do good, but one who does not know how to do evil…” (V. O. Klyuchevsky)

They say that Olga was a little girl with a GREAT BIG HEART. She only spent three semesters at SOMC, but you can write an endless chronicle about her life during this short period. Not a single college event went on without her. She had many talents, but her most important talent was LOVE. She loved her mother, friends, people, and her own life. While participating in the ‘Student Portfolio’ contest, Olga shared her dreams and spoke with admiration and deep respect about her idol Leo Bokeriya, stating with firmness that her dream was to become a heart surgeon like him. Olga was also quite able to empathize and sympathize.

As an active member of the ‘Live for Life’ volunteer organization at SOMC, Olga was able to allow the pain of others’ tragedies pass through her heart and soul. She wrote lyrics for the song “Memory…”, which was performed at the requiem concert for the 9th anniversary of the tragic events at ‘Nord-Ost’, and also wrote the words to “My Guardian Angel…” — performed at the 10th anniversary requiem concert.

Olga lived life fast. She wanted to grab it by the horns, as if somehow she felt that she, unbeknownst to all, would be granted just 19 years in which to do it. On her last day on earth, Olga bade her mother farewell – she thought just for an hour — with a smile and with joy as she hurried to rehearsal for the “Oskol Beauty” contest. This year she had been entrusted by SOMC to represent it at the competition. During rehearsal, however, she suffered a sudden cardiac arrest.

No one could describe Olga better than she could. In a presentation she prepared for submission to the contest, she stated: “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players! Thus I play my small parts in this great, big world. The roles of daughter, schoolgirl, musician, poet, theater-dancer, college student, one who laughs, one who cries, the best friend and the most dangerous enemy… There have been many such roles, and it is nice to remember them! You wish to be the best at each new character, the best for society, for your family, your friends and your loved one. You do the right thing so that there is never any shame in your life. How great it is to achieve everything on your own, to break through locked doors, demolish bridges, bust through walls… all on your own. To find a new role, new characters, to perform the next play, in short, to live!!! But sometimes one just wants to be simply their parents’ child, to put their head on their mother’s lap and forget about it all. Don’t you agree? Let's step back from that lyric. After all, note that I am now performing in front of you in the new role of a contestant. If we simply get to know each other, I am Olga, a 3rd-year medical student at Stary Oskol Medical College. I love my profession and I am proud of it. My favorite hobby is cooking, which I will later demonstrate to you. I write poetry and song lyrics. I love to sing. I adore dancing. I go through life dancing: here a passionate tango, there a perky Quickstep. The main thing in my life is family; nothing could ever mean more to me. Mama, mama, and yet again mama, this is my Guardian Angel, my loved one who is always there for me, friends whose support is my keeps me going. My volunteer organization, ‘Live for Life’ at SOMC, in which I am an activist, is very important to me. I love being among people, it’s an adrenaline rush, an indescribable feeling to meet new people. So now you have a small idea about contestant number such and such, Butenko, Olga. Thank you, I am glad to meet you. Who knows what this role for me will turn into!”

Fate never let Olga perform this role. Fondest memories, Olga!

By O. V. Yesaulkova, director of the ‘Live for Life’ volunteer organization,  OOAU SPO Stary Oskol Medical College

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