User:Roy Generali

Legend of Ivan Baranoff

Ivan Baranoff, 1834-1854, a Russian Born wrestler who fell into a coma at the age of 17, woke up after one year, then won his nations highest wrestling honor at the Russina National Tournament at 20 years old. Instant fame fell on the young athlete as word of the reawakening spread through the Russian empire.

When Baranoff first fell into a coma Doctors told the boys family he would never wake up, despite his occasional movements while in a coma. The family, after finding a doctor that would assist their cause of keeping the boy alive, used all their money to keep the boy on life support, which during the time consisted of nothing more than regular bed rotations, excersises, and a feeding tube.

Although recovery seemed non existent, 12 months later Baranoff suddenly woke up. He was now 18 years old. After the awakening monetary support poured in and the boy not only recovered but trained again in wreslting. He would win a national title some 2 years after waking up from acoma fulfilling his dreams.

The event caused such an uproar that Tsar Nicholas I, honored Ivan and his family with Knighthood.

As soon as news spread to neighboring countries about the boys miraculous return from acoma, and the fact that he fulfilled his dreams, the boy slipped back into a coma and never woke up. At that same time Russia would suffer great caualties by the Ottoman’s, with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Second French Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia in the Crimean War. Soon after the Tsar died died of pneumonia. The tragedy was so great for the country of Russia that word about the young man faded into an already defeated history never becoming the true inpiration it so deserved, a story about triumph and perseverance of the human spirit.

Resources:

1: Ακόμα ελπίδα παραμένει ("still hope remains"), microfilm, Vallianios National Library, Athens, Greece. http://www.nlg.gr/english/dlefimerides.htm

2: Oleg Sinkevich Interview Transcript for The Silent Gladiators, by Nicholas Hopping.

3: 3.^ a b Устав города Вологды от 25 августа 2005 года, Глава V (Charter of Vologda city, Chapter V) (Russian)