A boy's arduous steps on his prosthetic legs after the Türkiye earthquake

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When a devastating earthquake struck Turkey in the early hours of February 6, 2023, the five-story building in Hatay where 13-year-old Mehmet Koc was living collapsed, burying him under rubble and killing his older brother Emre, 14, and his mother Didem. . .

Muhammad survived. But it took 76 hours before rescuers were able to extract him from the pile of concrete and twisted metal that remained in his home. Later at the hospital, doctors determined that his legs were so badly shattered and injured that they would have to be amputated just below the hip.

Upon hearing of the earthquake in London where he lived and worked, Mohamed's father, Hassan, boarded the next available flight to Turkey and traveled to Hatay, in the south-east, desperate for news of his family.

Hasan Kok and his late wife's mother, Emine Karaalioglu, 63, interact in a Mersin hospital lobby as his son Mehmet screams as nurses change bandages on his amputated legs in Turkey.

(Reuters)

Muhammad comforts his grandmother in Mersin Hospital

(Reuters)

The 58-year-old faced a scene of total devastation in the city and learned that his wife and eldest son had not survived, but Mohammed was alive and trapped. He stood vigil beside the ruins with other relatives.

Hassan was unable to speak to his son himself, but sent messages to his teenage neighbour, Khairuddin, trapped near the roof, whose words could reach Mohammed, who spoke to him to keep him awake as rescuers approached.

Speaking in hospital in Turkey last February, Mohammed said: “I was screaming ‘help.’ Our neighbor Khairuddin was telling me when to scream, and I was screaming for help when he asked me to.

“I didn't feel or think anything when I was rescued, I was confused. I wanted water when they rescued me. My family was waiting for me outside and I saw them right after I was pulled from under the rubble.

A woman walks near damaged buildings and rubble following the devastating earthquake in Antakya

(Reuters)

The catastrophic earthquake in Hatay destroyed roads

(Reuters)

Doctors in Turkey said that if he had reached them just one hour later, he would have died.

Mohammed spent two months in hospital in Turkey before recovering enough to travel to Britain. Hassan, who first came to Britain in the 1990s and, like Mohammed, holds British citizenship, found his son's British passport torn up among the rubble.

Almost a year later, father and son live together in Hassan's small flat in Hackney, east London, both grieving for their loved ones and gradually coming to terms with the tragedy.

“We are trying to get used to life,” Hassan said.

Mohammed uses physiotherapy rods at the Royal National Orthopedic Hospital during his prosthetic fitting session

(Reuters)

Muhammad sits on a treatment bed as he is examined by specialists at the hospital

(Reuters)

“Mohamed started school and is doing better. He supports me now, telling me: ‘Dad, we can’t bring them back or change what happened. Let’s forget everything and move on.’”

Taking care of his son, managing his many medical appointments and applying for support and social services is a huge task. Friends within the local Turkish community help where they can, but Hassan gave up his job as a school supervisor to care for him.

“I'm very sad but I try not to show it when I'm around him. He's very brave and supports me a lot,” he said.

Hassan prepares dinner for his son Mohammed in his apartment in London

(Reuters)

Family friend Ali Sinar, 63, helps Mehmet take a taxi to bring him and his father Hassan to a picnic in his designated garden.

(Reuters)

Mohammed is receiving treatment at the Royal National Orthopedic Hospital, which is an hour's drive across London from his home.

He has been given prosthetic legs and is training in the hospital to take steps and do exercises to build strength.

However, the legs have a hard time getting used to, they take time to fit properly, and as they grow they will need to be adjusted frequently. He may also face more surgeries.

Mohammed uses his wheelchair before using the physical therapy rods, while his translator looks on

(Reuters)

Muhammad lies on a hospital bed waiting to be seen

(Reuters)

Doctors estimate that walking on a flat surface using bilateral above-the-knee prostheses requires 300% more energy than normal walking, and is especially difficult for children.

Muhammad enjoys playing computer games, keeping in touch with Turkish school friends, and talking to his relatives in Turkey, including his grandmother. He has always loved football. He says his favorite English team is Manchester City, and Norwegian striker Erling Haaland is a special hero.

Photography by Clodagh Kilcoyne

Reuters

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