Anastasia Sheremetyeva, a special education teacher from Yekaterinburg, is raising her son Misha, who has Down syndrome, as a single mother, after discovering his condition shortly after his birth. Despite initial shock and advice from some relatives to give him up, she has dedicated herself to his care and development.

Anastasia, along with her family who have backgrounds in special needs care and medicine, understood the implications of Down syndrome and were determined to provide Misha with the best possible care. She immediately began rehabilitation efforts, learning massage and physical therapy techniques to address his hypotonia, a common condition in children with Down syndrome.

Although her professional experience prepared her for the challenges, Anastasia admits that accepting her son’s condition was emotionally difficult at first. However, she overcame her initial struggles and committed to giving Misha the support he needed.

Unfortunately, Anastasia’s husband eventually left the family, unable to cope with the demands of raising two young children, one of whom required specialized care. This left Anastasia to navigate the challenges of single parenthood while also ensuring Misha received the necessary support and attention.

Drawing on her expertise as a special education teacher, Anastasia remains optimistic about Misha’s future. She is committed to helping him reach his full potential, inspired by stories of other children with similar diagnoses who have thrived in mainstream schools and careers thanks to dedicated support. Anastasia has no regrets about her decision to raise Misha and is determined to provide him with a loving and supportive environment.