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Friend of St. Jude doctor shot and killed in Downtown Memphis looks back on his legacy

A community that spans from Memphis to Moscow is still reeling after the senseless downtown killing of a recently hired St. Jude doctor.

SHELBY COUNTY, Tennessee — A community that spans from Memphis to Moscow is still reeling after the senseless downtown killing of a recently hired St. Jude doctor in front of his wife and young daughter. 

“It's a huge loss for many people with whom he was friends, and now, his wife and daughter and their life changed irreversibly, and there's no going back,” said Dr. Ivan Ruchkin, who knew Bulakhov for years dating back to their time on the Moscow State University track team.

Soon, they both moved to America to pursue their passion for medicine and engineering. Ruchkin remembers him as a great athlete, always quick with a smile. 

“Really fun to be around. He made a lot of jokes,” he said. “He was also reliable, and I knew that he wouldn't let me down if I asked something from him.”

Then, came Sunday's devastating news. The doctor, who had just moved to Memphis in July to work at St. Jude, was killed during a robbery attempt downtown while out for a walk with his wife and 2-year-old daughter. The community he left behind is still reeling. 

“I'm still in the phase of initial shock, honestly, and it's slowly starting to dawn on me that no matter what we're doing, all these communications, tasks, attempts to help, they're not going to bring him back,” Ruchkin said. 

Two arrests have been made in Bulakhov’s death, and the suspects have been charged with first degree murder. But it's a small solace for the people left to pick up the pieces.

“It doesn't bring him back, and I certainly imagined that it used to be more satisfying than it was. Because then justice is one thing, but the loss is another, and one doesn’t make up for the other.”

GoFundMe's have been set up to support Bulakhov's wife and daughter. To donate, visit the links here or here.

    

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