Mehmet Şefik Şefkatlioğlu headed to the airport with his wife upon the call of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the night of the traitorous coup attempt of July 15th. He was martyred by the tanks running over civilians. Vahide Şefkatlioğlu, Mehmet’s wife, stayed in intensive care for 3 months, she then became a veteran, losing a leg after leaving intensive care. Doctors are still currently trying to salvage her other leg.
49 year old Mehmet, worked as a mechanic for white appliances. He had a 24 year old son, and two daughters, ages 18 and 19. Mehmet was painting his house with his wife, unaware of the events of the night, when a relative of his called and informed him about the events occuring. The couple turned on their TV and saw the call of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
He is a martyr, and his wife is a ghazi
Vahide said they went outside with their son Ömer, and that she called her siblings crying and told them to go outside as well. The family first went to Esenler and decided to head to the airport learning that the President would be there. Ömer stated that they met with his uncle in front of the Police Headquarters and he left his parents there with his uncle. Later he called his parents after learning that tanks were running people over. The person who answered the phone said, “Who are you to the person who died?” That was how Ömer received the news of his father’s death.
Putschists tanks ran over his mother as well but his mother survived, unlike his father who was martyred on the spot. Vahide stayed in the hospital for 3 months, she lost her left leg and her right leg, full of stitches has not fully healed yet. She still receives treatment at the İstanbul University Çapa Medical Facility. Her mother took care her three children during the three month period she was hospitalized.
“I would go again”
Saying she missed her children and home, Vahide told us that she used to sleep with her 10 year old daughter every night. She said she would still go out and do it again, even if she lost her leg. She described the night as follows, “I wasn’t able to see my husband again as I was in the hospital. I stayed in intensive care but I was fully conscious. I felt my husband’s death. When the tank ran over us, people behind me were crushed. My husband was behind me as well. My family tried to hide the fact that my husband was dead. They told me, ‘Mehmet is in intensive care and his satiation is heavier than yours.’ I told them not to hide that he was dead.” Vahide continued, “I don’t regret going there. I would go again. I don’t have another country. My siblings and children will live here even if I die. Everything is for my country. There have been many wars here, so much blood has been spilled. It’s not easy to give up on it.”
The name Martyr Mehmet Şefik Şefkatlioğlu was given to an elementary school in Büyükçekmece, Istanbul.
