Dog saves child from rubble

KAHRAMANMARAŞ

In a village in Kahramanmaraş, a dog saved its 12-year-old owner from the rubble by grabbing his clothes with its teeth and pulling him out.

During the devastating quakes, Ördekdede village, located in the middle of the Pazarcık district, is among the places that suffered the greatest damage, as dozens of people perished under collapsed buildings.

The 12-year-old Çınar Kuloğlu, saved by his dog, lost his entire family in the deadly quakes, except for his brother Mehmet.

Çınar told journalists about the traumatizing moments of the quake, stating that he was the only one who could move under the rubble while the rest of his family members were all stuck.

Explaining that his dog, Alex, pulled him out of the rubble by grabbing his clothes, Çınar said that the voice of his father shouting for help still haunts him.

“I’ve been looking after Alex since he was a puppy. I tried to train him, but it wasn’t working. But he came to my rescue on the day of the earthquake. He showed me his loyalty,” Çınar said.

Speaking of his father, Çınar explained that though he was rescued from the rubble a day after the quakes and was kept in an intensive care unit, his father couldn’t make it and lost his life despite interventions.

Çınar said even though he was heartbroken, the fact that his father’s body was washed before burial eased his pain, as the other members of the family were not so lucky, and they had to be buried covered in clay.

Çınar stated his brother had four surgeries and is doing well.

“I want to continue my education, but my priority will be to take care of my brother. I will be a father, a mother and a big brother to him,” Çınar said, asking the state officials to provide them with a roof over their heads.