remember Adriana Giurca (1982-1993)

Over and again Adriana had tried to complete the complicated beam routine under the unforgiving gaze of her trainer, Florin Gheorghe. But each time she was less than perfect.

Gheorghe, 25, couldn’t tolerate failure. Adriana, 11 by this time, was his favorite pupil and he demanded success. When the weary youngster faltered again, he snapped.

He grabbed this fragile wisp of a girl and smashed her head against the beam, lashing out with his fists and feet. She begged for mercy. “Please stop, you will kill me!” she screamed. But his attack was relentless. Finally he picked her up and threw her to the floor.

She landed on the padded mats with such force that her spine was pushed into her brain, leaving her in a coma. Two days later she died.

Today the small girl with big dreams lies under a simple white marble cross near her family home in Bucharest, while her mother lights candles and weeps.

Posted @ 7:34 PM.