Celebrities and sports stars join public to raise funds for injured Russian artist

ARTIST Alexandra Trotsenko, whose fingers were chopped off in a vicious attack, cannot believe she survived her horrific ordeal.

Celebrities and sports stars have joined the public in making contributions to a special auction for the Russian-born artist.

The courageous woman is hoping to continue her art in some way despite the appalling injuries.

Earlier this week, James Kenny (pictured) from Prospect Hill, Finglas, received a 16-year jail sentence for breaking into Ms Trotsenko’s apartment.

He slashed her face and cut off her ring finger, little finger and part of her index finger on her right hand.

That is the hand the Russian-born artist uses to paint, and she said she still hoped to continue her art, in some way.

“I cannot believe that I managed to go through all this,” she said. “It was a horrific attack, I still can’t believe I survived after all that.”

She had been afraid to tell her parents about the attack for some months afterwards. Ms Trotsenko did not attend court as she did not want to see the man who attacked her. But she spoke movingly on Joe Duffy’s Liveline about the attack which has changed her life.

She said she tried to protect the left side of her body during the attack, which meant that her right side was badly injured.

Kenny, she said, had not held her hand but stabbed it three times. “I was failing consciousness at that time but still I was trying to get my hand back,” she said. “My hand was on the top of the mattress, I was laid down on the floor and I was trying to slide my hand down.”

Her index finger was cut off from the joint and she now only has the middle finger fully connected, although it too had been separated in the attack.

She said she had not received any medical financial assistance from insurance or the state. She did not have insurance and had applied for compensation but the process was very slow.

“I am not expecting to have good money for that,” she said. “You can’t measure it with money.”

She added that her hand was her “instrument”.

In the immediate aftermath of the attack she said she could barely stand up and her vision was blurred, adding “I could see only shadows”.

Ms Trotsenko, who is in her 30s, said she had never returned to the apartment in Finglas where the attack occurred.

Now married to an Irishman, she intends to remain living in Ireland.

During the emotional and moving interview, it emerged that Ryan Tubridy, the Dublin football team and artists from around the country have now contributed items to a special auction to be held later this month, with the proceeds going to Ms Trotsenko.

On the programme, Ryan Tubridy said the jumper traditionally worn by the presenter of the Late Late Toy Show and then sold for charity would this year be passed on to the auction to be held on November 27 in Adams of Blackrock in Dublin.

He also paid tribute to the bravery of Ms Trotsenko, an accomplished artist who had been planning to illustrate a children’s book when she was brutally attacked.

Presenter Mr Duffy will also contribute an artwork while Bernard Brogan of the All-Ireland winning Dublin football team contacted the show to offer a signed jersey for sale at the auction.