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The Internet can be a terrible place. But it can do wonders, too. Recently, a yard keeper named Yury Vetlugin paid off his crippling debt, and it was all thanks to social media.
Fashion photographer Roman Filippov gave Yury, his childhood friend, a GQ-esque photoshoot and shared the results online, where the images instantly went viral, telling Vetlugin’s turbulent life story.
However, it was so heartbreaking that people thought it wasn’t enough to “like” it. They wanted to write him a new chapter as well.
More info: filippovroman.com | Instagram | Facebook
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Meet Yury, a 42-year-old yard keeper from Ufa, Russia
Image credits: filippov_photo
This seemingly ordinary man has had a really extraordinary life
Image credits: filippov_photo
He recently went viral after his childhood friend, Roman Filippov, gave him a GQ-esque photoshoot
Image credits: filippov_photo
“I first met Yura as a kid at a summer camp for children with disabilities where my mother worked,” Filippov told Bored Panda
Image credits: filippov_photo
“Yura was left on the doorsteps of an orphanage as a newborn. He grew up there and was diagnosed with a developmental disorder”
Image credits: filippov_photo
Roman said Yury is a little bit different, but he is very kind and an incredibly hard-worker, even though some people think that yard keepers are lazy
Image credits: filippov_photo
Filippov’s mother and grandmother have been looking after Yury for years, sheltering him at their house and later helping him get state-guaranteed housing
Image credits: filippov_photo
But a few years ago, people who Yury believed to be his friends took advantage of him
Image credits: filippov_photo
They tricked him and took out roughly 700,000 rubles (about $9,330) worth of loans under his name, and bought a house
Image credits: filippov_photo
Yury couldn’t pay back the loans, so he lost everything, including his pension and salary
Image credits: filippov_photo
The group then took him to the house which was located in a remote village and they turned Yury into a slave
Image credits: filippov_photo
Yury was working as an unpaid houseworker, getting barely enough food to survive—the already slim man had lost 15 kilograms (33 pounds) there
Image credits: filippov_photo
The gang would routinely beat him and one time they nearly killed him with an ax, so Yury decided to run for his life
Image credits: filippov_photo
He was about 30 kilometers (19 miles) away from Ufa but managed to come back, and Filippov’s family took him under their wing again
Image credits: filippov_photo
“He is slightly different. His disorder isn’t bad, but he’s a bit more naive than we are, he’s like a big child. But he’s a lot like us too. He has both positive and negative traits, with the only negative being that fraudsters can manipulate him”
Image credits: filippov_photo
After Yury came back, Filippov started taking pictures of his everyday life
Image credits: filippov_photo
The photos were constantly reminding him that Yury was a very beautiful man both inside and out
Image credits: filippov_photo
And that’s when he came up with the idea for the fundraiser
Image credits: filippov_photo
As the mock GQ photoshoot was going viral, the donations started coming in
Image credits: filippov_photo
Eventually, Yury had enough money to repay his debt
Image credits: filippov_photo
Even the mayor of Ufa learned about Yury and set up a meeting with him. Filippov hopes it could help bring justice to his childhood friend
Image credits: filippov_photo
What do you think ?
A.M. Pierre 3 years ago
I always struggle with how to express the feelings I have when I hear about people being treated so horribly. To take advantage of someone, to ruin them financially, to isolate them, to beat them - and especially when that someone has less capacity to defend themselves? I refuse to refer to such filth as "human". They have lost the right to that name.
Zoe's Mom 3 years ago
He has the cheekbones of a model. I hope someone out there see this and maybe give him a chance but with a honest agent or guardian. F*ck those people who hurt him; may they burn in hell!
IlovemydogShilo 3 years ago
I was so shocked and saddened that Yury was treated so heartlessly. I hope he finds the justice he well deserves. Those people need to pay for what they did to such a wonderful beautiful man. Thank God for Fillopov and his wonderful family doing everything thing he can to make his life better. He is a true angel not just a true friend. Yury is lucky to have you in his life.
A.M. Pierre 3 years ago
I always struggle with how to express the feelings I have when I hear about people being treated so horribly. To take advantage of someone, to ruin them financially, to isolate them, to beat them - and especially when that someone has less capacity to defend themselves? I refuse to refer to such filth as "human". They have lost the right to that name.
Zoe's Mom 3 years ago
He has the cheekbones of a model. I hope someone out there see this and maybe give him a chance but with a honest agent or guardian. F*ck those people who hurt him; may they burn in hell!
IlovemydogShilo 3 years ago
I was so shocked and saddened that Yury was treated so heartlessly. I hope he finds the justice he well deserves. Those people need to pay for what they did to such a wonderful beautiful man. Thank God for Fillopov and his wonderful family doing everything thing he can to make his life better. He is a true angel not just a true friend. Yury is lucky to have you in his life.
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