Wife of last Minsk metro blast victim works in ambulance now
Her husband worked there before the terrorist act. “I was surprised to see that people helped”, says Natallya Illina.
Doctor Andrei Illin was the last, 15th, victim of the explosion in Minsk metro. The deputy chief physician of Minsk Emergency Hospital died on the morning of May 25 - 1.5 months after the terrorist act.
Natallya, Andrei’s wife, became a widow with two kids.
“I was surprised to see that people could help, - she says. – Even strangers helped me, besides my husband’s colleagues and groupmates who supported me from the very beginning. There were a lot of them, not just a dozen or two. Legal entities transferred money to the charity account. I did not even think to count them”.
Natallya is going to close the account now. She says that she does not feel abandoned and helpless. She has described the material assistance rendered by Minsk City Executive Committee. She is thinking of spending vacations together with her son for the first time over a long period.
Natallya Іlіna: “I am grateful for the support at the very beginning. It was very difficult. I am not asking for help anymore. There are people who were severely wounded: they still need help. I have almost closed my charity account. I count on myself for the most part”.
Andrei Illin dedicated more than 10 years to medicine. He was a medical assistant when he was a student and became a doctor after graduation. Andrei’s eyes were injured in the blast at “October” station, but when doctors helped him walk out of the station, he said that he worked in the ambulance and asked the paramedics to save the others.
His wife Natallya works in the ambulance now:
— I have changed my job. I interrupted my maternity leave ahead of time. Thanks to my husband’s colleague, I was able to get a job in the department where my husband had worked. It was essential”, - says Natallya Illina.
— Do you work in the ambulance now? – specified Euroradio.
— I do.
— Did you work as a doctor before?
— According to my diploma, I am a hospital attendant. I am a sanitarian-epidemiologist.
Andrei Illin’s daughter is 16 months old now. She does not understand where her father is. However, it was much more difficult to explain it to the son.
“I decided to tell him everything, - continues Natallya. – Naturally, he was very anxious and started crying. But he is a man, he got over it. Probably, he did it better than me”.
Natallya Illina avoids the question about the death penalty. She says that it is difficult to discuss it. Answering the question: “How did you get over the loss?” – she replied: “I have not got over this loss yet”.
Natallya Ilina is going to attend the opening ceremony of the monument to Minsk metro blast victims on April 11.
