In 1951, at the age of four, he and his parents were exiled to Siberia (in 1949 and 1951 about 5,000 families were persecuted by the authorities for being Jehovah’s Witnesses).
Aastal 1951, kui ta oli nelja - aastane, küüditati ta koos oma vanematega Siberisse (aastatel 1949 ja 1951 kiusas valitsus taga umbes 5000 perekonda, sellepärast et nad olid Jehoova tunnistajad).