Local family, organizations drumming up support for victims of earthquake in Turkey, Syria
Gizem and Kevin Sullivan are raising funds for Gizem’s family
By Deion Broxton
Click here for updates on this story
ST. LOUIS (KMOV) — A local St. Louis-area family and organization are raising money and collecting items for victims of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Turkey and Syria.
Gizem and Kevin Sullivan, who live in St. Charles County, are raising funds for Gizem’s family, who survived the earthquake in the province of Hatay in Eastern Turkey. Gizem told News 4 her family traveled to Izmir in Western Turkey to stay with family. Gizem’s husband, Kevin, started a GoFundMe to support her family.
“The city I was born and raised is not there anymore,” Gizem said. “In Hatay, I don’t think there’s no place to live right now. Everyone that I know from that city, from middle school, high school or my childhood friends–I lost them or they lost their family.”
“I just hear her screaming and it was–it was really rough,” Kevin said. “We’re extremely lucky and grateful that her parents felt everything and got safely to their car. I know that Gizem was extremely relieved when her mom sent her a picture of her on the bus on the way to Izmir.”
The Ahiska Turkish Islamic Center organized a clothes drive to help Turkey after a devastating earthquake that has claimed thousands of lives.
The center is sending items like winter coats, jackets, sweaters, pants and socks, underwear and more to Turkey. The center received enough donations to fill every truck, according to organizers.
“As soon as we post on Facebook–you know–thanks to everyone they just–everyone tried to help,” said Rustam Bekirov, president of the Ahiska Turkish Islamic Center.
For more information about the drive, you can reach out to aticstl@gmail.com or call (314)-408-0008.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
