A young Ukrainian woman who was discovered with catastrophic injuries in Dubai earlier this year has defied medical expectations by learning to walk again.
A Mysterious Disappearance and a Brutal Discovery
Maria Kovalchuk, a 20-year-old model prominent on OnlyFans, vanished in March after she was due to attend a party in the Emirati city. One week later, she was found in a coma by a roadside, having suffered what was initially described as injuries from 'falling from a height'.
Her injuries were so severe they required ten major operations. She had a broken spine and multiple broken limbs. Her mother, Anna, detailed the extensive surgical procedures: 'three operations on one leg, three on the other, two on her spine, and one on her shoulder blade'.
Allegations of Torture and a Denied Cover-Up
Ms Kovalchuk and her family have since alleged that her injuries were not from an accident, but the result of a brutal, three-day ordeal. She claims she was tortured by wealthy Russians at a party in Dubai. A surgeon reportedly insisted the injuries could not have been caused by an accidental fall from a construction site or by self-harm.
Her mother described horrific details, alleging: 'A knife cut her face and scalped her. It was done with a knife from the centre of the head all the way down to the eye, and the hair was cut off.' The Russians implicated have denied any abuse, and no one has been prosecuted. Ms Kovalchuk says she has no memory of the alleged torture.
The family revealed that the substantial medical bills were fully covered by Dubai police, amid their suggestions of a potential cover-up. Anna also claimed she received online threats after speaking out, including a message that read: 'We'll find you even in Norway.'
Road to Recovery: From 'Broken Doll' to Walking Again
After months confined to a wheelchair, Ms Kovalchuk has undergone intensive rehabilitation as a war refugee at a hideaway in Trondheim, Norway. She has now started walking again.
Reflecting on her trauma to her 42,000 followers, she said: 'At first, I felt literally shattered, like a broken doll, and I could not imagine my future life at all.' She described fears about living with her injuries and scars, and how she would 'find love'.
'But over time, my perception of the world began to change,' she stated. 'I started paying more attention to my inner self and realised that what matters most is your inner state... I managed thanks to the support of my loved ones and my friends. And I felt the healing power of love.'
Ms Kovalchuk now spends her time teaching make-up, focusing on rebuilding her life far from the scene of the traumatic incident that nearly ended it.
