Biography
The quiet life of the driver from Kazan, Alexei Gerasimov, was violated by a search of his home. So the man found out that he was a defendant in a criminal case on extremism because of his religious beliefs.
Alexey was born in December 1980 in the city of Ust-Kut, Irkutsk Region. He has an older sister. His father has already died, and his elderly mother lives with Alexey's family.
As a child, Alexey was fond of swimming and playing the guitar.
After school, he trained as a navigation technician, and also received an incomplete higher education as a hydraulic engineer. For some time he worked as a navigator on the Lena River.
Alexei met his wife, Natalia, as a child - they lived in the same yard. In February 2007, they got married, and in December of the same year, they were baptized together as a Christian. Aleksey recalls that he was prompted to devote his life to serving God by studying the Bible and reflecting on how the world around him was thoughtfully and lovingly created.
For some time the family lived in Ust-Kut, then in Skovorodino (Amur Region) and Yakutsk, and later moved to Kazan. The spouses work together as personal drivers. Alexei also moonlights as a janitor. She and Natalia love to read, visit theaters, museums and exhibitions. Natalia is also interested in psychology, as well as the structure and functioning of the brain.
"At first, because of the criminal prosecution, everyone in the family experienced stress," the Gerasimovs said, "but they quickly recovered and recharged with a positive attitude."