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Man born with half his body missing due to Chernobyl radiation says his mum abandoned him

Rachel Lang

Published 
| Last updated 

Man born with half his body missing due to Chernobyl radiation says his mum abandoned him

Tim Mason isn't letting anything hold him back.

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He is missing both his legs and one arm thanks to the high levels of radiation his birth mother was exposed to during the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.

The 25-year-old told Good Morning America his biological mother abandoned him in a Moscow orphanage as she 'did not want to raise a monster'.

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The orphanage harboured fears he would never find a loving home, but, despite missing half of his body, Tim found his true mother in US woman Virginia Mason.

"She knew I would be fine as I looked over and made fish faces at her," Tim said.

Tim moved to the US when he was three and initially used prosthetics as a child.

Tim and his mum Virginia. Credit: SWNS
Tim and his mum Virginia. Credit: SWNS
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He documents it all on TikTok, sharing his hilarious take on life while showing the world he's just like any other 25-year-old guy.

Most recently, he's been documenting his new passion: getting swole at the gym.

'One Limb Tim' - his words, not ours - lost a staggering 18 kilograms in 2021.

"Exercising is an amazing hobby," he said after his epic weight loss.

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"I use the treadmill for about 10 to 30 minutes and I do my own version of weightlifting and crunches."

The Connecticut man revealed that he fields a lot of questions on social media on how he manages to work out despite his condition.

He had a clear message about that, though.

Tim lives a full life and loves walking his dog. Credit: SWNS
Tim lives a full life and loves walking his dog. Credit: SWNS
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He revealed his fitness journey has kept him 'healthy both physically and mentally'.

Tim revealed he does cop a lot of hate, but throughout his life he has learned how to keep calm and carry on.

"There is a lot of doubt in what I can do. It can be discouraging," he said. "But I am here and making it through."

He added that he appreciates the kindness that social media can also bring.

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"I have seen so many positive comments and it means the world to me," he said.

The 25-year-old added that people are sometimes afraid to ask questions, but there is one query in particular that he fields quite often.

"I am frequently asked how do I go to the bathroom which I find hilarious," he revealed.

Featured Image Credit: SWNS.

Topics: Chernobyl, Health, Russia, US News, Good News

Rachel Lang
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