Wixom vigil honors victims one month after Turkey and Syria earthquakes
Members of metro Detroit's Turkish American community gathered Sunday evening for a candlelight vigil on the one-month anniversary of the devastating earthquakes that killed tens of thousands of people in Turkey and Syria.
The vigil was held at the Turkish-American Cultural Association of Michigan in Wixom where speakers shared their stories and honored those victimized by the tragedy with a moment of silence.
“We are here tonight to remember those victims," Mehmet Yaya, president of the organization, told the gathering. "Currently, the announced number (of dead) in Turkey and Syria is 50,000 people and there are many more under the rubbles of those collapsed buildings."
Bara Zuhaili, a part-time student at Johns Hopkins who is working on a master’s degree in public health, was in Syria at the time of the Feb. 6 earthquake, which was measured at 7.8 magnitudes.
Zuhaili said he had experienced a 5.0 earthquake before, and this was completely different.
“Immediately from the beginning, I realized that this is not a simple earthquake that you can just sit and wait out. I realized that I needed to run outside and I’m glad I did…,” he said.
He said part of the hotel building collapsed after he got outside.
Engin Turesin, Turkish Consulate General in Chicago, said this emotional time has brought people together to lend a helping hand.
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He said in the interview that he was traveling and heard news about the earthquake while on the plane. Once he landed, he immediately booked a flight back to Chicago.
Turesin said many were willing to help out from individual volunteers to larger companies and he was overwhelmed with support when arriving back to the office. “People rallied on their own volition. It was pretty amazing to witness actually,” Turesin said.
Zuhaili also shared the story of his return home to Michigan four days after the earthquake. His wife and three children unexpectedly surprised him at the airport with balloons and welcome signs.
“Very emotional moment because I saw how many kids died there. For me to hug my own kids and know they’re OK, that was one of the best moments…” he said.
Turesin also said that a large support system is necessary to help survivors in Turkey and Syria.
“This past month will not be enough to help out. It’s going to be like a marathon,” Turesin said. “Donations need to be sustained in long-term efforts to help survivors.”
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Community gathers for lives lost in Syria and Turkey
