In the bright but silent children’s oncology ward in Yaroslavl, renowned pediatric oncologist Dr. Andrei Kartashov stood powerless at his son Yegor’s bedside. The eight-year-old, pale and hairless from acute leukemia, barely clung to life. Monitors blinked weakly, and for the first time, the doctor once full of confidence—was simply a grieving father.A quiet knock interrupted the stillness.
Expecting a nurse, Andrei turned to find a boy of about ten in worn sneakers and a baggy shirt. “I came to help your son,” he said. Andrei, bitter and exhausted, dismissed the boy Nikita as just another misguided visitor. But Nikita insisted he wasn’t offering hope, only something real. He gently took Yegor’s hand, whispered something, and moments later, the dying boy stirred, then whispered, “Dad…”