A Turkish dog is being praised for saving its 12-year-old owner's life by grabbing his clothes with its teeth and pulling him out from under the rubble, according to a report. However, the incident, which occurred in Ördekdede, a village in Kahramanmaraş, Turkey, is heartbreaking as it is heartwarming.
The 12-year-old boy, identified as Çınar Kuloğlu, reportedly lost his entire family, except his brother and his dog, to the deadly earthquake. According to Hurriyet Daily News, Ördekdede village is one of the places that suffered the greatest damage during the devastating earthquakes, which left dozens of people dead under collapsed buildings.
Speaking to reporters about the traumatizing moment, the young boy said he was the only one who could move under the rubble while the rest of his family were all stuck. Çınar said he could hear his dad screaming for help, and his voice still haunts him. He explained that his 5-year-old dog named Alex pulled him out of the rubble by grabbing his clothes.
Çınar has been taking care of Alex since he was a puppy and Alex showed him his loyalty by coming to his rescue on the day of the earthquake. He explained that though he was devastated, knowing that his dad's body was washed before burial eased his pain, as the other members of the family weren't so lucky, and they had to be buried covered in clay. Çınar told reporters that his younger brother had four surgeries and is recovering.
Çınar is asking the state officials to provide him, his brother, and his dog, with a roof over their heads. He said he wants to continue his education, but his priority will be to look after his younger brother Mehmet. Furthermore, Çınar said he will be a father, a mother and a big brother to Mehmet.
