Irish celebs boost savaged Russian artist
Aleksandra Trotsenko used to illustrate children`s books. But two years ago, a man broke into her home in Dublin and savaged her with a machete, chopping off several fingers. Now, Irish celebs want to help: they have held an auction, raising euro63,000.
ґJames Kenny, who pleaded guilty to the brutal attack, has been jailed for 16 years. He took a knife and machete to the Russian for the sake of pinching her cash, jewelry and credit cards.
Since the attack, Alexandra hasn`t been able to work. With no medical insurance or help from the Irish government, the artist fell into despair. Doctors said it would cost euro10,000 to replace the lost fingers with prostheses.
But things changed after she appeared on local RTE radio`s Liveline show. The station was flooded with calls, with listeners suggesting ways to help the artist get the pricey surgery. Many opened up their purses too, with some euro20,000 donated.
On Sunday, an auction was held in Dublin, with a host of celebrities and artists giving works and personal belongings. Over 200 objects went under the hammer, with a bronze sculpture by Paddy Campbell fetching the most at euro5,200. The event raised another euro63,795.
"This isn`t going to change the world. It`s not going to heal her wounds, but it may give Aleksandra more options. She has suffered catastrophic injuries," says Liveline presenter Joe Duffy, who described the auction as a "lovely warm embrace from the Irish people" to the Russian.
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