Calgary man trying to bring over injured family from Turkey: ‘I can’t let them go and die here’
A Calgary man is desperately seeking help from the Canadian government in hopes of getting the two remaining members of his family to Canada after a deadly earthquake struck Turkey earlier this month. .
Mohammad Nikzad flew to Turkey on February 6th. It was the day after a powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake shook the country.
Over 44,000 people are reported dead. Including Nikzad’s mother and his one of the sisters who died when their house collapsed.
My family of four in Turkey is just my brother and sister.
“Now I have to get them out of here,” he said from abroad.
“We have to get them home in Calgary. We have to take care of them because we can’t leave them alone in this situation.
“My family survived without me and I can’t leave them alone in this situation. I can’t let them go and die here.”
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Nikzad said his surviving brother needs mental and physical support after being disabled by the earthquake.
His brother remains in the ICU of a hospital in Ankara after losing both legs, but may be released soon.
His sister has two foot surgeries in three days and is in Kayseri. Nikzad said the hospital did not provide updates on her condition.
“All they say is wish her well. But she’s very weak and with all these surgeries and infections, I don’t know,” he said. I got
Nikzad said he is in contact with the Canadian embassy in Ankara. But he says he was only told to contact immigration.
He says he has sent emails to both the Immigration Service and the Canadian Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Rep. Sean Fraser, but has yet to hear back from either.
“I didn’t get any help. I need help now,” he says. “Her wife has been running all over Calgary and she is doing great.
Global News has reached out to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada regarding Nikzad’s family.
In a statement, the government could not comment on individual cases but said it was “monitoring the situation very closely and determining the best way forward. In responding to the international crisis, Canada is: We tailor each response to meet the unique needs of those in need of our assistance.We coordinate with our international partners to consider what they are supporting. “
The federal government has confirmed that the earthquake in southeastern Turkey has not affected or delayed any applications and will update the media and the public as the situation develops.
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