She got here from Russia with nothing however love.
When Russian-American ballerina Ksenia Karelina stepped off an airplane in Maryland Thursday after 15 months in a grim Russian jail — she landed within the ready arms of her overjoyed however anxious fiancé, champion boxer Chris Van Heerden.
“I used to be so confused, overwhelmed and nervous,” Van Heerden informed The Submit Saturday about ready on the tarmac for her arrival.
“I haven’t been this nervous since I fought for a world title. I haven’t seen Ksenia in 15 months so in my head I’m creating all these photographs of what she would possibly appear like in spite of everything that point in jail. I didn’t wish to have a shocked expression on my face and make her really feel dangerous.
“Folks began popping out one after the other and when she got here across the nook, I noticed her and she or he noticed me. I noticed her smile, I noticed my Ksenia. I used to be so relieved. When she hugged me, that was it. The nerves have been gone.
“I whispered in her ear, I stated “It’s over,” Van Heerden recalled.
“She didn’t say something. I feel it was all so unreal to her. I stated, ‘I like you’ and she or he stated, ‘I like you too.’”
The twin-citizen dancer and spa employee was accused of treason towards the Russian authorities when she donated $51 to a charity that allegedly supported Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022 — the day Russia invaded its neighbor. She was sentenced to 12 years in a penal colony.
The US secured Karelina’s return in trade for Russian German Arthur Petrov, who was arrested in Cyprus in August 2023 on the request of the US on costs of smuggling delicate microelectronics to Russia. He was extradited to the States a 12 months later.
“All of it occurred so quick,” Van Heerden informed The Submit about Karelina’s sudden launch.
Karelina was considerably in shock and had nearly no sleep for 48 hours when she arrived within the US. She is now in a army hospital in San Antonio and can doubtless stay there for the following seven to 10 days whereas she is evaluated and given a comfortable reentry.
Van Heerden was in a position to be with alone together with her for the primary time on the facility. They lay in mattress collectively for 2 hours, he stated.
“It was simply me and her and it began just a little awkward with some small speak,” he stated. “I simply stayed quiet and let her speak and earlier than I knew it she was in storytelling mode. I put my hand on her arm . . . and I really feel the muscle groups and I stated, ‘Wow child you’re so sturdy.’
“Her smile lit up and she or he flexed on me . . . I virtually cried.”
Karelina, who’s an esthetician, had solely a few speedy requests.
“Ice cream. She wished ice cream. She wished tweezers so ‘I can pluck my eyebrows’ and a heel scraper.”
The couple is keen to satisfy and thank President Trump.
“Ksenia made it clear that she would like to shake his hand,” Van Heerden stated.
“We actually must thank him personally. When the time’s proper, she’d love to satisfy him and I might like to shake his hand for bringing again the love of my life. And I’m not into politics.
“I used to be begging the Biden administration for a complete 12 months to deliver Ksenia again. About seven months I spotted that’s not going to occur. they’re not going to do it for me. I had religion and I actually believed when President Trump got here into energy, he might do it and he did it.”
Van Heerden stated Karelina has been particularly overcome by People’ heat reception.
“She is so form and so loving . . . She was in a jail the place persons are yelling and preventing. She didn’t get a hug in jail and she or he was so overwhelmed with how good persons are [stateside].”
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