Starts a new column “ Simple stories amazing people" Every week we will talk about people who play sports and do what they love no matter what. Even against all odds. Our first hero was dancer Dmitry Kim. A simple guy from Almaty left for " American dream", but one day the unexpected happened...
Today, Instagram is one of the most popular social networks in the world, with almost everyone having an account. A place for everyone to take photos popular application everyone carries various functions, But distinctive feature is fame in the number of subscribers. Bright, high quality photos attract attention, and if they are also signed with good text, then this is definitely the key to success. But in all this huge kaleidoscope of daily updates of photographs and texts, somewhere between the lines you can see touching story unique person…
Signs of fate, or a dented sneaker
He was transferring sneakers from the washing machine to the dryer when he noticed them appearance. The mold was severely deformed and bent only on the left one, while the right one was fine. He didn't attach it special significance. After drying, he put on his shoes and went with his friends to the store. The day was drawing to a close, and the sunset gradually began to color the sky. On the way back, the guys decided to take a photo against the background of a white wall, which so successfully reflected the bright rays of the setting sun. The friend walked away to get a nice angle, and he leaned against the wall. A second later it collapsed and he, not having time to jump far, fell. The weight of the wall crushed him left leg. With that same wrinkled sneaker. Perhaps it was a sign, but which of us gives them meaning...
From Ainabulak to Moscow
His name is Dmitry Kim. But already for a long time he is known to everyone as Kima Dima. A pseudonym that personifies a beautiful, dynamic and slightly shocking personality, widely known in in social networks. But before all these bright colors captured in photographs, his life was rather bland and monochromatic. He grew up as an ordinary boy in an ordinary family. An Almaty resident who spent his childhood in the Ainabulak region. In an area as remote as possible from the cultural streets of the southern capital and separated by a huge market of various goods, popularly nicknamed “Flea Market”.
Starting with early age dance, he periodically listened to ridicule from his peers. After all, where he grew up, young people went to boxing or other sections where they could teach them to stand up for themselves. And he learned to dance. And despite the sidelong glances, Dima was not particularly hurt by the “insults”. He simply decided to prove that dancing can be serious work, and you can achieve something without waving your fists:
“At the age of 17 I moved to Moscow. Having first entered college, I immediately got a job dancing in the most fashionable club for those years. Then, when I entered university, I thought that I wanted to develop more and dance with the stars. I went through a huge series of castings, and in the end, after a tough selection, I was accepted into ballet show Anita Tsoi. Then there was work with the group “ Vintage», Egor Creed and other artists.
And the life of a club partygoer began. This was a period radically different from the time at home, when I was nobody and no one knew me. I was finally doing something that gave me pleasure and brought me prosperity. Together with the team, we staged amazing theatrical performances with unique costumes. My life was a continuous holiday..."
And then the period came when he wanted something more. The current success and popularity were no longer so admirable, routine appeared and I wanted change. The choice was obvious. Where if not in Los Angeles, you could find inspiration, move to a new dance level, and find interesting projects. Without thinking twice and quickly gathering himself, he flew overseas. A new life has begun on the other hemisphere of the Earth. New workouts and work on yourself. Now, as the sun set in his homeland, his day, full of new hopes, was just beginning. And so it was until that fateful evening...
Lose the “bread” that feeds you
He did not remember well how he was brought to the hospital. The bustle of the doctors could not be discerned through the veil that shrouded the eyes. Somewhere in between the words of friends were heard: “Dima, hold on! You must hold on!” Clearly he only felt sharp pain in the leg, which was felt even through heavy doses of painkillers. And now, after three painful operations, the doctor’s verdict confronts me with a terrifying fact. The leg cannot be saved and must be amputated. You can’t hesitate to make a decision, otherwise the infection will go higher up the leg, and you’ll have to amputate at the hip... And this is the solution!?
“When I understood everything and imagined myself without a leg up to my thigh, I began to cry from pain and regret. Is this a choice?! What can I do next?! My feet feed me!! At that moment, how long my leg would be cut off depended on my decision, but I simply became hysterical. I screamed. How so?! I'm a dancer!! This is my bread!! I can’t do anything else! How can I live without a leg?! Tears flowed down my cheeks, the whole world collapsed for me... I cried for a long time, and did not know how I would live further... I had thoughts that it would be better if I was crushed... And now I am a cripple and a freak... At that moment, from this pain I wanted die…"
Despite the hellish pain, Dima made a decision, and that same evening he underwent surgery to amputate his left leg at the knee. Coming to his senses in the morning, he heavily opened his eyes. There were friends nearby who smiled at his awakening. He smiled back at them: “Okay... Now we need to do something about it...”
New life on one leg
After this tragedy, a huge series of changes and changes occurred in his life. The news of what happened spread on the Internet like a virus. Many people responded to numerous reposts of support on social networks. They began to raise funds for a new prosthesis that would allow Dima to walk without crutches. There were also calls from morning until late at night, encouraging messages.
“My phone was just ringing off the hook. Every day someone came to me, sat with me or walked with me, taking me out in a wheelchair.
“I didn’t even have time to be alone, because there was always someone in my room until late,” Dima recalls with a smile.
It would seem that the career of a professional dancer could be given up. But when you're surrounded by supportive loved ones, you simply don't have time to dwell on dark thoughts alone. All this changed Dima’s friends, who, experiencing these difficult moments with him, began to appreciate the present more deeply.
The rehabilitation period took a long time, but everything went well. The difficult decision he had to make partially saved his leg. Now the prosthesis allows you not only to walk, but also to dance. He again began to do his favorite thing, but now with a special attitude.
30-year-old Dima Kim is a famous Russian dancer who now lives in Los Angeles. He came to California in search of freedom of expression, full of plans and hopes, he believed that in new country will start new life and will definitely succeed. But a terrible tragedy almost put an end to all his dreams...
Dima began building his career at the age of 17, moving from his native Almaty to Ivanovo. Then the guy moved to Moscow. There he had the chance to take a place in Anita Tsoi's ballet. Out of 120 applicants, only three were chosen, one of which was Dmitry Kim. He was called the singer's favorite dancer. After working with Anita for a year, the young man decided to change the situation and got a job in the ballet group “Vintage”, and then set a new goal - a career in America.
An accident happened to Dmitry on New Year holidays in Los Angeles when he wanted to take a selfie. Dima went for a walk with a friend, stopped to take a photo near a nice wall, put his hand on it and... The wall collapsed, crushing the dancer’s leg. He underwent four operations: first it was about the amputation of his fingers, then about the amputation of his foot and even his leg up to the thigh. On January 16, Dima’s leg was cut off just below the knee. In his monologue, the dancer talks about how not to give up and go towards your goal at all costs. Next - from the first person.
I danced with early childhood, but never specifically studied this. I have no choreographic education - my teachers were videotapes and clips on the MTV channel. I grew up in Almaty and, after graduating from school, I realized that what I had suddenly wasn’t enough. Then I decided to move to Russia and somehow miraculously ended up in the city of Ivanovo, where I went to college. In Ivanovo, I started dancing at the Coliseum - it was the coolest club then. At the age of 17, I became a senior dancer in this club, recruited a team, coached and trained dancers. In Ivanovo I was a little star, and it was cool.
But even these frameworks quickly became too small for me, and I decided to leave for Moscow, which seemed incredible and incomprehensible to me. Over time, I also headed Moscow luxury clubs - I worked in the most popular club in Moscow in the coolest show, and for two years in a row I won awards at the Russian club industry competition as the best choreographer and performer. Afterwards I worked in the team of Anita Tsoi, the Vintage group, and Yegor Creed. As you already understand, this was not enough for me, and so I left for the States.
Why did I go to America? Honestly, I can’t live either in Russia or in Kazakhstan. I love these countries, but they are not for me. People here have a lot of stereotypes and stupid rules that I don’t like. As a dancer, I wanted to take it to another level. And I had a three-week vacation from Vintage, and I flew to Los Angeles to see what this city was like. Then he stayed there for another month, and after that he said that he would not return.
Here a situation happened to me that slowed down my development for some time. But this in no way prevents me from living on and striving for my goal. When the wall fell on me, it was really psychologically difficult, I needed to muster all my will and faith in myself.
Did I feel like my life was ruined when I found out about the amputation? Yes, sure. I even had thoughts of suicide. It was very difficult, very scary. A prosthesis is not just “put it on and run”, the prosthesis rubs the leg, it swells, hurts, and shoots.At night you need to jump on one leg to go to the toilet or have a tank next to you - it’s up to you to choose what.On the day of the operation, I told myself: “I can bury myself now or I can be born again,” and I chose the second option.
I underwent all my surgeries in the most expensive hospital in Los Angeles - Britney Spears and Cameron Diaz gave birth there. I was able to get there because the incident occurred near this hospital, and it was from there that the ambulance arrived. The Americans are great, they did everything cool, because I had neither money nor insurance.I was accepted and treated, and the government paid the millions in bills.
They made me a prosthesis, it is functional, excellent, and I can walk with it. Such a prosthesis costs 12 thousand euros. But I can't dance with him. A prosthesis for dancing costs from 30 thousand euros and more. I also need prosthetics for running, for swimming - they’re like sneakers, only very expensive. And I need a lot of them throughout my life, because I live an active life. Everything will happen, you just need to try and save some money.
I used to just live and not appreciate simple moments. Now I understand how important our feet are. This is a wonderful phenomenon, a gift from God or the Universe, I don’t know what to call it.And when one leg is missing, it is very difficult. So you look at your legs, and one is there, but the other is not - it’s psychologically very painful. But life doesn’t end there, you need to think more positively and be happy that you are alive and everything is basically fine with you. I will try to make myself better and better without showing my pain.
I don’t live some kind of dream, I live here and now, I don’t have any grandiose plans. I know that I will dance, the stage is a thrill for me. The fact that I have one leg and not two will in no way stop me.
Every day I fight and get stronger. I started going to the gym to get back in shape - my left leg lags behind my right, it dries out very much, and it doesn’t have enough load. But I can’t put any weight on it now, because my leg still hurts where my foot was cut off.
I am very grateful to my friends and subscribers for their support. They write to me every day, I keep in touch with everyone, I answer everyone. I have 35 thousand followers, and I talk to everyone, give recommendations to those who are very bad, who are in similar situations. I try to support them psychologically. In general, just being human.
Celebrities Russian stage announced a fundraiser for the 30-year-old Kazakh dancer Dmitry Kim, whose leg was amputated in early January. A tragedy happened to Dmitry in Los Angeles: when he was trying to take a spectacular selfie, a concrete wall fell on the guy’s leg.
Photo Instagram/kimadima
Dmitry began his career at the age of 17, moving from his native Almaty to the Russian city of Ivanovo. Having become a star of nightclubs in just six months, the dancer decided to conquer Moscow in order to get into the star ballet. Not much time passed before Dmitry was accepted into the dance team of Coca-Cola, the sponsor of the Olympic torch relay in 2014. Immediately after a six-month tour, the talented guy had the chance to take a place in Anita Tsoi’s ballet. Out of 120 applicants, only three were chosen, one of which was Dmitry Kim.
Dmitry Kim / Photo Instagram/kimadima
After working with the singer for a year, the young man got a job in the ballet group "Vintage". But the Kazakhstani did not stop there and thought about the next stage - a career as a dancer in America. However, on January 16, something bad happened to the guy - his leg was amputated.
"An accident happened to Dmitry during the New Year's holidays in Los Angeles. In the rays of the setting Californian sun, the dancer decided to take a couple of shots near a white stone wall. While the artist was choosing the most successful angle, part of the fence collapsed on his leg. The victim was urgently taken to one of the best clinics city, where they set a broken leg. However, this did not help: the doctors were unable to save the soft tissues, as a result of which blood poisoning began. In total, Dmitry underwent four operations, as a result of which his left leg was amputated at the knee," the Life agency tells the story of the Kazakhstani ".
Now the dancer’s friends are raising money for rehabilitation and a prosthesis, thanks to which he will be able to move and even dance. Dmitry remembers with pain the day when doctors informed him about the need for amputation.
"I had suicidal thoughts. I became very scared. I cried for 16 hours straight and did not want to come to real life disabled. I went through terrible torment. Only close friends from America knew about this, I didn’t even tell my mother right away. But now I have pulled myself together and appreciate every moment, every day given to me. We must fight even when it seems that everything is over! You can bury yourself now, or you can be reborn again. With small but confident steps I am moving into a new life! So in a couple of months we’ll dance!” Dmitry told reporters.
Dmitry and singer Yegor Creed / Photo Instagram/kimadima
Now Dmitry is in Los Angeles, his temporary prosthesis is designed for the current recovery period, he cannot walk with it. Next, you need to purchase a prosthesis worth 35 thousand dollars. Dmitry also needs medication. The predicted rehabilitation period is about six months.
Below are the details by which concerned citizens can help Dmitry.
For Russia:
Sberbank card: 4817 7600 4461 2715
(Sadykova Natalya Vasilievna - Dmitry’s mother)
Card account: 408.178.102.5440.2222876
BIC: 043601607
INN: 7707083893
For Kazakhstan:
Sberbank card: 5355 4100 0033 5597
(Kim Vitaly Anatolyevich - Dmitry’s brother)
Card account: KZ37914CP39825497412
BIC: 930740000137
INN: 920108301215
After learning the doctors’ decision, I cried for 16 hours, even thought about suicide...” admits Dima Kim. The tragedy happened in early January 2017. Then the guy who worked with many show business artists - Anita Tsoi, the Vintage group - set off to conquer America. One evening, the dancer and his friends went for a walk around Los Angeles. The sun was setting beautifully on the horizon, and he decided to take a couple of pictures against the background of the wall. It took me a long time to choose the right angle, when suddenly big piece the masonry collapsed on his leg. His comrades called an ambulance, the guy was quickly taken to one of the best hospitals. Doctors performed an operation, followed by three more, but a few days later gangrene set in and they had to amputate the foot and half of the lower leg.
Unbroken
“I didn’t even want to think about disability,” recalls 31-year-old Dmitry Kim. – Due to nervous shock, the temperature went through the roof, the doctors covered me with ice packs to somehow cool me down. I was helped to get out by my friends, who were on duty in the ward day and night, talking, hoping for the best before and after the procedures... On January 19, three days after the amputation, they celebrated my birthday right in the hospital. I am incredibly grateful to them."
Most of all, Dima was afraid for his mother.
“I didn’t tell her for almost a month,” the hero continues. – The information did not reach the media immediately. When we talked on the phone or Skype, I did my best to hold my voice and face, smile, laugh, although the pain was terrible. Having gathered his strength, he finally decided to make a revelation. I asked my brother to go to Tolyatti, where my relatives now live, and be with my mother. She cried, regretted, but coped. Largely thanks to this, I survived and learned to accept my path in a new way.”
At the age of 17, Dima moved from Almaty to Ivanovo to study at college. During the day he diligently sat in classes, and at night he had a blast on the dance floors of clubs. “Moscow producers noticed me there and offered to move to the capital,” says Dmitry. – Having graduated educational institution in 2000, he did just that. Everything started spinning at breakneck speed– castings, filming, tours.”
Boy more than a year danced in Anita Tsoi’s show, then worked in the ballet group “Vintage”, and at the same time acted in commercials. And at the end of 2016, I decided to try my hand at America and went exploring during the winter holidays.
First step
Who knows how everything would have turned out if not for that ill-fated day. However, now, having spent two years in Los Angeles, Dima is truly happy. “When I first stood on my feet two months after the tragedy, there were tears in my eyes,” the dancer recalls. – For the sake of this moment it was worth going through torture, pain, endless bandages... The prosthesis was made at the expense of health insurance, the simplest, a little inconvenient. The steps were difficult, but I could not give up. The second, more functional one, was assembled by the whole world. Anita, Lesha Romanov from Vintage, family, friends, fans helped. And six months later he was already moving confidently, even trying to dance. Sometimes I felt very constrained, I did not take off my prosthesis in public, and tried my best to disguise it. But then I accepted the situation, loved myself for who I am, and continue my rehabilitation.”
At first, Dima lived on money donated by caring people. Today he is completely self-sufficient. “Having heard my story, they acted commercial offers from several clothing brands. I even became the face of a brand that produces things for people with disabilities“Kim continues. – Of course, I agree to advertising shoots. With friends and constantly coming up with new videos, I don’t refuse to participate in concerts of local dance professionals, I stage numbers, I periodically come to Russia, I was recently a member of the jury of the Cardo Award in Stavropol.” Dima didn’t give up sports either: he starts every morning in the gym.
“Yes, I can’t exercise like I used to, but I try to stay in good shape,” says the dancer. “I gave up alcohol, of course, sometimes I eat junk food, but the main thing is that I don’t neglect my body, I improve it.”
A year after the amputation, Dima tried hiking - this is walking on mountainous area which is not given to everyone healthy people. “I climbed one of the mountains with a magnificent view of Los Angeles,” Kim smiles. – It was incredibly difficult! And recently I also realized a dream - I made a trip across America, which I had dreamed about since childhood.”
Only close friends and family know that behind the smile that never leaves Kim's face lies a difficult struggle. “Of course, there are days when it’s overwhelming and you don’t want anything,” the guy admits. - Still being pursued phantom pain... The denture often rubs against calluses. But I try to wake up and mentally embrace the world, become the best version myself. Many people ask: “Where does the strength of spirit come from?” Of course, you can choose the position of a victim of circumstances - feeling sorry for yourself, withdrawing. But I preferred a different path. I’m glad that I manage to motivate others – subscribers often ask for advice. So, people, no matter what difficulties you face, never give up!”
Rescue cake
home Funny stories Rescue cake
Once upon a time there lived a musician Dima in Naberezhnye Chelny. Dima played at weddings and funerals, earned quite a good living, got married and dreamed of children, better than two. Live and be happy, but here, in his a serene life, without a declaration of war, a black-and-black streak invaded, I would even say a black hole. At first, Dima’s wife left for some Tatar, and only then she, together with this Tatar, kicked Dima out of the house. Checkmate.
There was nowhere to live. And our hero, after thinking about it, decided: there is no better place to live in Moscow than in Naberezhnye Chelny. So he collected all his things (which were of no use to the Tatar) - a guitar and a backpack with music CDs, bought a reserved seat ticket and went to conquer the capital.
With almost all the money, Dima rented an apartment in a new building - completely empty, without furniture and even without a floor, and from morning to evening he ran around the city in search of ways to conquer Moscow.
The conquest began with the tragic loss of his beloved guitar, as a result of a demonstrative massacre on Old Arbat. They don’t really like new street guitarists there; there’s nowhere to put their own. Dima’s face became very swollen and no longer resembled the photo in her passport, and this, of course, is not free, as every expert in a cop uniform I met confirmed.
The money is almost completely gone, and going to interviews with black eyes only makes people laugh.
Another week and you will need to pay rent. And then the birthday didn’t add any joy at all - it’s not just a birthday, but a serious date - 40 years.
Dima woke up in the middle of the night from the hard, cold floor, pumped up the air mattress, lay down again, thought and decided: to hell with their last money. After all, today is my anniversary. What am I, not a person? I'll buy a big one a delicious cake, I’ll make some tea and have a real holiday for myself. And without guests, I will get more.
Evening came.
Dima sat on the floor with a knife in front of a large chocolate cake and carefully took aim at where to stab it, but for some reason his soul became so unbearably sad that he could at least look out the window:
Well, what the hell is this anniversary? What cake? He spent so much money on him. What about tomorrow? A forty-year-old guy, his face is broken like a homeless person from a heating main, but I behave like a little boy!
Dima took a closer look at the cake box and realized that this was his chance. The cake turned out to be one day overdue.
You need to carefully pack it, since you didn’t throw away the receipt, and return it to the store as soon as possible. The remaining money, plus the refund for the cake, should be enough for a ticket to Chelny, there are still at least some people there, not like here, the desert...
No sooner said than done, Dima packed the cake, went down the elevator and left the entrance. Suddenly he sees a small Toyota rolling slowly but confidently across the yard with the driver’s door wide open, and behind it a woman is trotting along and screaming funny:
Oh! Oh! Ay! Ay! Oh! Oh!
She was opening the garage and apparently did not put the car on the handbrake.
The Toyota had already accelerated well and was aiming straight at the side of the expensive black Mercedes.
Dima stood very close to the Merc, but, even if he wanted to, he couldn’t stop the car with his hands and he had no choice but to slip his long-suffering chocolate cake between the cars.
There was a slight “chack” and the cake was flattened into a whole square meter, but there is not a single scratch on the cars, only frozen chocolate splashes.
The owner of the Toyota ran up and thanked her resourceful savior with a beaten face for a long time, and tried in every possible way to compensate him for the damage he had suffered, but Dima nobly refused:
Well, stop it, don’t, I won’t take money, superheroes don’t take money.
Thank you Superhero, but you went somewhere with a cake, now you need to buy a new one.
Yes, don’t worry, it’s no longer necessary - it’s my birthday today, but there won’t be any guests anyway, I’ve been in Moscow for less than a month and I don’t know anyone yet.
Oh, congratulations.
Thank you, now quickly wash the Mercedes door before the owner notices the chocolate fireworks, and all the best to you, good luck on the roads.
Dima returned to the apartment and, cursing himself for his senseless, unprofitable heroism, began to count all the remaining money, including kopecks.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door (there was no bell). Anna, the owner of Toyota, stood on the threshold. In one hand she held a large plate of homemade buns, and in the other a bottle of cognac:
Dear newborn Superhero, am I late? Let's celebrate and play tricks.
At this point, Dimina’s black streak dried up and was replaced by a white one.
Anya got Dima a job as a sound engineer at our television company, married him and gave birth to two children, just as he dreamed of...
When a bad streak comes in my life, I always remember this story and carefully look around so as not to miss my saving cake...
Have a nice week everyone...
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