New Year’s shooting victim saves six lives through organ donation

ISTANBUL

The organs of 17-year-old Melek Nur Özgener, who was shot in the head on New Year's Eve in Istanbul's Fatih district, have given life to six people in need of vital transplants.

Özgener, who was shot in the head with a pistol in the Ali Kuşçu Neighborhood at 12:16 a.m. on New Year's Eve, was left at the hospital by suspect Ercan Ş. Despite all efforts at the hospital, Özgener died days later.

Nisa A., who was with Özgener during the incident, said that she and Özgener were meeting with a friend when the suspect pulled out a gun at them and joked "should I shoot you or you?" and that the gun went off and her friend was shot. Ercan Ş. was captured by the police and arrested by the court.

Upon the recommendation of doctors, Özgener’s family decided to donate her organs after she lost her life. Her organs were given to six people, one of whom was a patient who needed vital organ transplantation urgently, in around two hours.

"I lost a daughter but gained six children. She gave life to six people. After Melek passed away, the doctor advised to donate her organs to other patients in need. I wouldn't want to harm a hair on my daughter's head. I wasn't myself, and I didn't accept initially. I couldn't bring myself to sign. When the doctor explained the process again, I decided to sign the approval," father Bülent Özgener said.

Approximately 30,000 patients currently await organ and tissue transplants in Türkiye with a relatively low number of organ donations.