Friends remember Queens family who died in Turkey earthquake

As the death toll from the earthquakes that rocked Turkey and neighboring Syria continue to rise, the magnitude of that loss is being felt all over the world, including here at home.

“It’s unbelievable,” Volkan Aydogan said. “It’s really sad.”

Friends of software engineer Burak Firik said they are still in shock after learning that he and his family are among the tens of thousands who died in the disaster.

“We spent the whole time together,” Aydogan said. “We went on road trip together to Minnesota. New York to Minnesota. New York to Virginia, different times. Like all those times we were all together.”

Until last year, Firik, his wife Kimberly Marilyn Firik, and their two young boys — ages one and two — lived in Corona, Queens. Aydogan said they were visiting Firik’s parents in his native Turkey when the first quake hit Sunday night. The family survived that one.

However, a second earthquake hours later on Monday caused his parents’ home in the town of Elbistan to crumble with Firik, his wife, their children, and Firik’s mother inside.

Firik’s father, who had gone outside before the second quake, watched helplessly as the weight of the building killed his family inside.

Kimberly Marilyn Firik’s sister said their family is taking the news ptetty hard.

“We’ve lost all our hope,” said Salma Salazar. “We don’t have anything, my mom and my dad. They’re very broken. It’s like starting over from nothing. It’s really difficult.”

Aydogan is left only with memories of his friend.

“He’s always a big leader to us,” he said. “Like a big brother to us. For everything I know Burak. Everybody that I know around him, he helped everybody.”

Ali Kocabas is president of the Diyanet Mosque of Queens Mimar Sinan mosque in Sunnyside Queens. He knew Firik — who was vice president and vice manager of the mosque — for more than 10 years. He said their mosque is helping with relief efforts.

“So as the Turkish community here we are trying to help as much as we can. We are collecting clothes, blankets anything they need we can ship to turkey,” Kocabas said.

Mayor Eric Adams was accompanied by a number of officials, including the Turkish consul general, when he visited the Diyanet Mosque of Brooklyn Eyup Sultan in Brighten Beach Brooklyn Friday. They expressed their support for the people of Turkey.

“You are my friends, my brothers, my sisters. We have prayed together here in the mosque behind us,” Adams said. “We have navigated difficult times together.”

“With the help of our American friends, we have shipped more than $50,000 in humanitarian aid relief materials…,” said Turkish Consul General Reyhan Özgür.

Aydogan is also helping with relief efforts. Though he understands that nothing will bring his friend back.

“We all try to help as much as we can from here, but nothing helps. We lost them, so it’s really hard. I cannot imagine this feeling,” he said.

While Ayodgan said Firik and his family were buried in Turkey, loved ones are holding a prayer service in their honor at the Diyanet Mosque of Queens Mimar Sinan mosque in Queens on Saturday at 3 p.m.

Loved ones have also started a GoFundMe fundraiser to collect money for Firik’s father, brother and other relatives in Turkey who lost their homes and belongings.