Turkey Earthquake, a father and daughter are reunited after days of searching

• They were stuck together when their house collapsed during the earthquake.
• His wife and son did not survive the ordeal.
• She was placed in the custody of social services when he was admitted to the hospital.

Adana: Screams first… then piercing cries… The phrase “father, father” is then repeated several times.

Gada Ayyan, 4, and her father, Ahmet Ayyan, are being reunited after being buried in the wreckage of their former home in southern Turkey.

They were stuck together when their house collapsed during the earthquake that killed almost 46,000 people. When Gada was rescued and transferred to the hospital, the two endured an agonizing few days apart.

“When it first started shaking I grabbed my daughter and my whole family began to run out,” Ahmet said. “The building collapsed on top of us all.”

His wife and son did not survive the ordeal. While he was stuck, Ahmet could hear his son’s crying. He was accompanied by his daughter. She was resting on his leg, and they were both locked, unable to escape.

The rubble reached up to his neck. On the fourth day under the rubble, he expressed despair. He was in a lot of agonies. His foot was severely injured. His daughter, on the other hand, would not let him give up hope of being saved.

“My daughter was telling me over and over papa don’t cry. Relax. They are coming to rescue us,” said Ahmet.

She directed his gaze to the light spilling through. And, lo and behold, they heard voices. They were about to be saved.

Gada was the first to be dragged out, scarcely scratched. They dug Ahmet out after about a half hour. Nonetheless, she was placed in the custody of social services when he was admitted to the hospital.

When he lost sight of his daughter, he knew if it was the last thing he ever did, he’d see her again.

He posted her picture on Facebook and Instagram, appealing seeking anyone who could help him find her. A relative eventually discovered that social services had a healthy little girl with no parents.

“She kept me alive.” He said of her constant encouragement for days under the rubble. “That is my little girl. She is my hero. She’s my hero”

They will have to deal with the loss of Gada’s mother and 7-year-old brother, but Ahmet and his daughter have each other to love and care for and that is enough he said.

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