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Factual: Life Stories

True stories of ordinary people and the extraordinary events that have shaped their lives.

Outlook: 02/04/2010

02/04/2010

BBC World Service - Outlook, 02/04/2010

Escape from a Russian orphanage: how a small boy fought the system and won.

Escape from a Russian Orphanage
Outlook hears how a small boy fought his way out of a Russian orphanage - with the help of the friends he made along the way. 

Vanya Pastukhov was born premature in1990 with cerebral palsy. When he was eighteen months old, he was handed over to the state. He spent the next eight years enduring abuse and neglect, but he never gave up hope.  

Vanya is now called John Lahutsky.  He's twenty years old, and he lives with his adoptive mother Paula in the United States.  He has co-written his story with British journalist Alan Philps. Their book is called "The Boy from Baby House 10", which was the orphanage where Alan and his wife Sarah first met John. 

John, Alan and Sarah share the story of his remarkable journey with Outlook's Lucy Ash.

"The Boy from Baby House 10" is published by  Weidenfeld & Nicolson.

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