VIDEO: 12-year-old Ukrainian with prosthetic legs runs Boston marathon

A 12-year-old Ukranian girl has become an inspiration to us all. Yana Stepanenko lived through a horrific moment in April of 2022 when she and her family were waiting to evacuate the country at the Kramotorsk railway station. Just as they were waiting for the train, Russian forces launched a ballistic missile, brutally killing 61 people and inuring 121. Yana’s twin brother survived without injuries, but her mother lost a leg and Yana herself unfortunately lost both of her legs in the attack.

After surviving such a traumatic event, Yana and her family were moved to the United States and into a prostheses program. Two years later, Yana is not only walking, but on Saturday, she ran the Boston marathon’s 5k event, completing all five kilometers with prosthetic legs and an unwavering smile.

Marathon participant Iryna Kushakevych wrote on Facebook about Yana, summing up her spirit and that of the Ukranian people: “This steel girl Yana Stepanenko, who lost both legs in a Russian rocket attack but ran all 5 kilometers of the Boston course with a smile and love, is a reflection of our strong Ukraine and our unbreakable nation.”

Not only was Yana’s accomplishment incredible, but she made sure to do it for a meaningful cause as well. As part of the race, she worked to raise funds for a specialized sports prosthetic for a Ukranian soldier named Oleksandr Riasnyi, who lost a leg in the war. Riasnyi hopes to be able to serve and run again one day, too, and Yana’s dream is to help make that happen.

She began training to run the 5k more than two months before the race, training four times a week. “I’ve experienced very difficult moments, but now I’m glad I can walk and run again,” Yana said before the race. “The famous American prosthetist Peter Harsch gifted me running prosthetics, reigniting my passion for the sport. While a little nervous before my first marathon, I’m confident because of my great rehab team.”