Roman Kostomarov, the 2006 Olympic champion in ice dancing, demonstrated his approach to prosthetics on stairs in a video published on his own Telegram channel. In the clip, the former skater, now 46, ascends the staircase with careful, steady steps. He comments that he hopes to add a second step soon, signaling gradual progress in his mobility journey.
Early January 2023 brought a dramatic turn in Kostomarov’s life when he was hospitalized after performances at a New Year open-air show. Reports indicated he faced pneumonia severe enough to require intensive care treatment and a ventilator. His condition was described as extremely serious at the time.
Kostomarov was subsequently transferred to a hospital in Kommunarka where medical teams performed resuscitation and connected him to ECMO support. During the treatment phase, he underwent amputation of both feet and hands as part of the life-saving interventions that followed his critical condition.
On August 22, Kostomarov appeared at the Love Letters ice show in Sochi, accompanied by Ilya Averbukh and his wife Oksana, marking a notable public return to the ice stage after a period of recovery and adaptation to his new circumstances.
In reflecting on this transformation, Kostomarov shared a message about beginning a new chapter of life, signaling hope and a commitment to rebuilding and moving forward despite the profound changes he has faced.