Yılmaz Ercan who carried wounded people and faced putschists on the Bosphorus Bridge, on July 15th was recorded by the bridge’s cameras as he drove his motorbike towards the putschists tanks. Ercan, who created one of the most unforgettable moments of the July 15th coup attempt, was martyred by putschists while on his motorbike.
Yılmaz Ercan who returned home after his night prayer on July 15th, received the news of the coup attempt after a phone call from his friend. Ercan read the Quran for a while and followed the news on his television. Upon the call of President Erdoğan, he went into the streets saying, “Tonight is the night. I’ve been waiting for this for a long time. We voted for him. We won’t let anyone touch him.” Ercan went outside even though his wife tried to stop him. He headed to Kısıklı on his motorbike taking only his small Quran with him.
“England did not do what these putschists did”
39 year old martyr Ercan headed to the Bosphorus Bridge after hearing what was going on there. Ercan carried those who were wounded by putschists one by one on his motorbike. Ultimately, he started moving towards the tanks on his motorbike. Ercan collapsed after he was shot by putschists. The putschist traitors did not let Yılmaz Ercan be taken to a hospital.
İlknur Ercan, wife of Yılmaz Ercan who was martyred on the Bosphorus Bridge, said, “My husband was still able to move his head when the day was about to be over. Soldiers did not allow him to be taken to a hospital. English soldiers in Çanakkale did not do what those putschists did.”
The martyr Yılmaz Ercan was buried in the Edirnekapı martyrs’ graveyard.
The name of martyr Yılmaz Ercan was given to an elementary school in Ümraniye, Istanbul and an Imam Hatip high school in Serdivan, Sakarya.