Hi Everyone,
My name is Bill and one of Zhanna's friends and neighbors here at The Village in Irvine, next to Spectrum Shopping Center.
All of us here who knew her well and a few that did not are completely devastated by the tragic news of her passing. We are not completely clear regarding the details, but from what we can gather, Zhanna was either going to or coming back from the gym. We have many small gyms at our complex, but the nearest larger one is just 3 minutes walk across the road to Spectrum where there is a 24hr Fitness. Then half a mile down the road, a very large 24hr Fitness+. Zhanna would help train people at these gyms, as well as LA Fitness in the surrounding areas. So basically, everyone in the area knew her in some way or another.
From online reports and some closer personal ones, we believe she was struck by a car near where we live and suffered a catastrophic head injury. The hospital induced a coma and operated to relieve the bleeding in her brain, but after about a week, she passed away in her induced state. We are not sure if it was a hit and run, or other details but either way it is truly tragic and many people will be severely impacted for a very long time, and some for all of their lives.
Zhanna was a beautiful soul and she was friends with my 18yr daughter, helping her out in some of her routines for fitness, modeling and on the stage as a young professional singer. Tragically, we moved to the US because my 18yr son was hit and killed by a careless truck driver on his way to school in Tokyo and the pain for all of us was so unbearable we had to move from our home there. I'm British and my wife is Japanese, and I spend almost 30 years in Japan, so walking away from life there and the business I founded was all the start of many years suffering from PTSD, then grief induced depression. It is now eight and half years since our loss and only this year did the cloud of grief and depression lift enough for me to try and work properly again. It is still hard at 56yrs old, but I have to keep moving forward one day at a time.
So, losing our friend Zhanna has just made us all feel so sad again and everyone here is stunned and talking about it with total disbelief. To not see here walking around between gyms, pool parties, to the Village Market and around the complex is just too much to bear for many of us. We just keep welling up with tears and feel helpless. From my own horrific experience and training (psychotherapist), I can help some of the others around us come to terms more easily I hope, or help manage the pain.
After this posting, I am going to the gym for a session and will hold Zhanna in my heart and mind as I workout, thinking about her and how she has been the catalyst for so many people to live better and healthier lives.
Miss you lady and you will forever be in our hearts here. We will continue to train strong knowing that is what you would always want, with that charming smile and cute Ukrainian accent we all loved.
From all of us here at The Village Irvine.
