January 15, 2016

Source: The Guardian http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/j ... r-leg-pain

A famous Russian hermit was finally forced to end her 70 year exile from society after authorities brought her to a hospital to treat leg pains.

The last remnant of a strict religious sect, Agafia Lykova was raised in the wilds of Siberia by her family who had abandoned civilization in 1936.

Their incredible story became known when a helicopter pilot & Russian geologists found them in 1978.

The remarkable meeting saw Agafia introduced to the first people she had ever met that were not from her family and tasting milk as well as bread for the first time.

Despite the newfound connection to civilization and learning how the world had changed since their self-imposed disappearance, the Lykovas chose not to rejoin society.

Ultimately, Agafia outlived the other members of her family and enjoyed a solitary existence since 1988.

That somewhat changed last year when she agreed to be filmed for a documentary about her life in exile.

However she finally left her homestead after seven decades when a recent bout with leg pains forced Agafia to call for medical help and she was subsequently evacuated to receive treatment.

Said to be recovering well, she is expected to remain hospitalized for another week before presumably being allowed to return to the wildness from whence she came.

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Its a long read ... but here is a 2013 Smithsonian article with pictures of the family

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/f ... 56/?no-ist

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Amazing!