Local Worker Shares Story of Family Affected by Devastating Earthquake

All week families from Southern California who have been directly impacted by the devastating earthquakes in the Middle East have been sharing their stories of loved ones.

Irem Gulum’s parents still live in the hardest hit province in Southern Turkey.

She works at Berlins on West 3rd in Los Angeles but described the last couple of days as incredibly difficult.

“Yesterday one customer came here and he just asked ‘where are you from,’ when I say Hatay I start crying because there is no more Hatay,” Gulum said.

Gulum moved to the U.S. just eight months ago.

The 24-year-old was born and raised in Hatay, a province in Southern Turkey with more than 1,600 deaths and 6,200 injured after the horrific earthquake this week.

“We have a lot of people under rubble, nobody touched them, nobody tried to get them out,” Gulum said.

In the middle of winter, her parents are now sleeping in their cars and sitting around fire to keep warm. Their home and businesses were completely destroyed.

“Our building is completely gone, but thank God my parents weren’t in the apartment at the moment, they were in the village with my aunt,” Gulum said. “That’s how they are still alive.”

New drone footage shows the widespread destruction in Hatay and a local fire department also shared video of crews rescuing a 5-year-old in the rubble. A rescue worker pulled her free as she was covered by debris in a staircase.

“It’s really, really bad and they need help,” Gulum said.

Gulum’s coworkers started an online fundraiser hoping to provide shelter for her parents and other families too.

“We are all trying to get help for my country, for my city, not just my parents, heater, food, clothes and the embassy is also trying to get some help,” Gulum said.

Gulum lived in Hatay nearly all her life and much of her heart is still there now.

After seeing the pictures and video, it’s understandable that her heart is broken.

“I’m trying to do my best, but it’s so hard,” Gulum said.

She hopes Hatay can rebuild and more lives can be saved.