Relatives of those killed at Dubrovka still try to live on and find out the truth about the tragedy

Christian Arseny O'Connor was born eight months ago in Florida, and as yet does not know that he and his name are part of a tragic event in Russian history, when terrorists seized the theater on Dubrovka in October of 2002. Christian is the nephew of Kristina Kurbatova, a 13-year-old actress in the musical 'Nord-Ost', who, along with Arseny Kurylenko, perished from the gas used during the hostage rescue operation.

Kristina and Arseny were playing leading roles in the play, that of two youths, whose friendship promised to become a great and true love.

Perhaps it was the magic of the stage, or that of approaching adolescence, but as often happens at such a tender age, it carried into their relationship a barely perceptible, yet even more exciting, undertone of love. Kristina kept her first date a secret from her mother. It was Arseny's mother who uncovered the secret, but after they were no longer threatened with punishment. «This is love,» sang the children alongside the other artists in the musical's most popular melody. «This is love,» sounded every evening from the stage. «This is love,» they sang as loud as possible, almost blue in the face, swallowing their tears in the rain. Their fellow artists sang it by the walls of the trapped and dead theater. Too bad they could not hear it.

Kristina and Arseny spent the last three days of their lives together, supporting each other.

They were buried side by side in Vagankovskoye cemetery. They dreamed of becoming famous actors, but they became famous only in death.

After the tragedy at Dubrovka, years passed by, years that did not heal. Kristina's mother was often in the hospital. Feelings of guilt, and somber thoughts, turned her father's face to stone. No one touched anything in Kristina's room. Everything remained as it was.

Kristina's older sister, Anastasia, missed her sister ever stronger, but few helped her out: one person's grief is oppressive to another. One day Anastasia heard something that irritated her: Enough already, she is dead and you cannot bring her back. And one must go to the cemetery. Luzhkov skimped on the memorial, but it was probably the money of pensioners anyway. The woes of those who lost loved ones at Dubrovka little interested anyone anymore. It all was formal, yet fake, both the understanding and compassion. The motherland had become a stepmother.

In the summer of 2006, Anastasia met Natalya Pelevina when Anastasia came to London for the premiere of Natalya's play about the events at 'Nord-Ost'.

The actors sat among the spectators. They did not play roles, but lived the horror. The audience wept, and Natalya was crying with them. Journalists would not leave Anastasia in peace, but Natalya was always there, supporting the girl as best she could.

Over time, Anastasia increasingly thought about leaving Russia. She could no longer stay in the country where her beloved sister died a senseless and brutal death. Anastasia's decision did not meet with a positive response from her parents, but they let her go.

Anastasia moved to America, got married, and when she learned that she would have a son, she decided to name him Christian Arseny.

Now the young family lives in Florida, and grandpa and grandma from Russia often come to visit them there. Recently, Christian Arseny was christened in a Russian Orthodox Church in St. Petersburg, in the state of Florida.

The boy's godmother was Natalya Pelevina, a family friend and the author of a play about the events at 'Nord-Ost, titled «In your hands».

One wishes to believe that this American boy will live a long and happy life for two beautiful Russian children.

PS: Families of those slain in the Dubrovka theatrical center do not consider the case of their loved ones' murder to be closed, and now it is now pending before the Strasbourg Court. They wish to know the whole truth about the tragedy.

From 'Kasparov.ru'

Comments (3)

2. Игорю Written by Светлана Губарева , on 28-11-2009 05:35 А в тексте написано (цитирую): «Недавно Кристиана Арсения окрестили в русской православной церкви в городе Санкт-Петербурге (штат Флорида).» Это фотография сделана во время крещения. Как известно, православная церковь требует от женщин покрывать голову — отсюда и платки на головах Насти и Натальи. Report

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