The great Patriotic war redrew the fate of many people. The relative supermodel Natalia Vodianova is not just a chance to die, but if it does not matter, he would not have met the one who changed his life. 
With black-and-white photos placed throughout the apartment in Nizhny Novgorod, Ukrainian girl Larisa with a smile, looks dashing seaman Victor Gromov. Only now she Larisa Gavrilovna, and beloved wife of Victor Filippovich there for 5 years.
How young we were
To the front the Joker and Joker Victor Gromov escaped in 1943, attributed to himself at the recruiting office the missing year. Mother, Maria Andreevna, opposed as they could, but unless you will keep near a 17-year-old kid, rushing to the front? His older brother Alexander, the pilot, already denounced at the front of the Germans, and he to sit? Vic graduated from the school of radio operators and was sent to the black sea fleet. There he learned that the elder brother was missing. He was mourned by the whole family, and only mother in the depths of the souls continued to hope that her son is alive and one day will knock home. A mother’s heart did not disappoint: he returned home in 1946. Turns out he was shot down over the Belarusian forests, but survived, was in partisans and fought until victory is not in the air and on the ground. But the possibility to inform his relatives were not.
Victor served as a radio operator on a submarine. However, a year later, with the submarine had to break up: because of the decompression sickness, the young radio operator was often bleeding from the ears and was dizzy. He was transferred to a minesweeper. In early October 1944 the ship was sunk by a German torpedo. Several men, including Victor, managed to escape, and the more days they spent at sea. Barely alive from the cold, they were picked up by the allies.
“This rescue is a miracle! Since that day nothing in life I’m not afraid,” said Viktor Filippovich.
In may 1945 the war for the radio operator Gromov did not end there: the Black sea was strewn with German mines, representing a threat to civilian shipping. And minesweeper, which served as Victor continued to sail the seas and eliminate dangerous echoes of war. However, now his ship was not assigned to Sevastopol, and to Skadovsk, where there was a repair facility. There, in Skadovsk, he met a statuesque beauty with a shock of curly brown hair. Dancing at a local club sailors were admirable gentlemen: with the male sex in those years there was the problem that a lot of guys never came home.
“My friends and I stood along the wall, seamen glanced furtively recalls Larisa Gavrilovna. I was a shy girl, in front of the boys shy. And suddenly I see that from a group of sailors separated a smiling blue-eyed blond, and straight to me. My gut just sank!
I recognized him immediately: together with his friends he sometimes came to us. They would bring bread from the ship to sell it and buy a cigarettes. Sometimes helped her mother with the housework: wood to chop or water from the well to gain. I hesitate always hid when the sailors came and mom spotted the nimble Victor, whose every work in hand was progressing well, and once even said, “That would be you, Lorca, man.” Imagine my surprise when this guy invited to the dance? We procrisis in a waltz all night, and from that day he began to take care of me”.
Victor immediately lost his head from Larissa. In any free from watch a minute he was running toward his Larocke. The intention of the guy was serious: he asked for the hand of the beauty from her mother, Natalia Mikhailovna. But the mother was adamant: first, finish the service and get a profession that will allow a family to support, and then get Larissa at its Nizhny Novgorod. So the wedding was celebrated, when the term of service came to an end. The feast was merry, but modest, potatoes, vodka, and for dessert – carrot and barley coffee. Wedding young bought a plate and broke it, as is common, fortunately. Luck did not deceive the family: the couple have come a long way together, had three children, and not once in many years, Viktor Filippovich nor word or deed not hurt the wife. Till the last breath – men began in April 2012 – a former sailor Gromov idolized his Larissa.
VICTORY WALTZ
But the war in life was their shared memory. Larisa Gavrilovna did not fight, because when the Great Patriotic, she was only 11 years old, but sorrow in those years, seen a lot: the horrors of occupation and the brutality of policemen, and the mass execution of Jews, among whom were her friends, and postwar famine. Viktor Rashnikov, who to the end was hilarious and soul of the company, preferred to tell the many army stories, but the memory of lost comrades kept carefully.
“Victory day has always been in our family a special holiday, – says Larisa Viktorovna, mother Natalia Vodianova. – In the morning we all went to the parade and then the obligatory feast. Front hundred grams for those who never returned from the war, – sacred to the Pope. Remember what a strong impression on his visit to Sevastopol on one of the anniversaries of the Victory. The war had hardened him, but did not change in nature. Many times being on the verge of death, dad remained a rare Swinger and have always said that peace is the most important thing that can be in the world.”
Natasha, who was very fond of his medunetsky – just as she called Victor ‘ from a young age knew his attitude to the war and what it meant for him the Day of Victory. And in 2010 gave him a wonderful holiday: veteran watched the anniversary Victory Parade in Moscow on TV, and from the rostrum of the guests of honor on red square. And in the evening together with Larisa Gavrilovna and granddaughter, they went to the Bolshoi theater.
“For dad it was unforgettable, says Larisa Viktorovna, mother of Natalia. – He could not move away from emotions and say that the granddaughter gave him the best gift.”