'I lost all my friends': Saskatoon couple coping with loss of family and friends in Turkiye
A Saskatoon couple is left feeling powerless to help their family and friends dig out of the rubble following the two major earthquakes in Turkiye on Monday.
Mehmet Dökmeci and his wife Meltem desperately tried to reach anyone they could in the day after the quake, but phone service and power were scarce.
“Everybody left their phones or car keys and everything, and they got stuck outside with nothing,” said Dökmeci.
Dökmeci worried for his 83-year-old father in Antakya.
“At that moment, we thought the whole building collapsed. We couldn’t get a hold of anyone.”
Over a day later, they got a hold of the caretaker of the building.
“We found out my father was OK, and he was in a park right beside the building that he came out. They were hanging out there with the neighbours trying to get warm.”
With no power, they relied on fire for light and warmth. It was a moment of relief, but it was tinged with pain, says Dökmeci.
“I know that he’s probably not happy that he’s alive. All his brothers, all his nieces and nephews are in the rubble; it’s not a good feeling,” he said. “I can’t recognize my hometown.”
Meltem says she’s lost both family and friends -- uncles, aunts and cousins
“I lost all my friends,” said Meltem. “There is just a little, little friends alive. All my relatives, everybody, almost 80 per cent gone.”
Meltem says she has daily prayers for her lost relatives.
“I am praying to my sister. Thank you, my sister. You are my angel. You are the angel.”
The amount of territory search and rescue teams have to cover has created an impossible task, says Dökmeci.
“This is about 66,000 square kilometres of a place, we’re talking about 10 cities, and about 13 to 15 million people.”
They feel so small trying to cope with the disaster from afar, says Dökmeci.
Melmet is calling on Saskatoon residents to contribute what they can to the relief effort.
“Turkiye definitely needs help. Please help Turkiye. There’s no houses … they need food, they need rescue now, please, please, Canada, help.”
The couple has started a GoFundMe page to raise funds for relief organizations, including the Red Crescent.
-With files from Tyler Barrow
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Israel attacks Iran, Reuters sources say; drones reported over Isfahan
Israel has attacked Iran, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters, as Iranian state media reported early on Friday that its forces had destroyed drones, days after Iran launched a retaliatory drone strike on Israel.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.