JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — As the death toll in Turkey and Syria from last week's earthquake continues to rise, Turkish and Syrian Americans in Jacksonville urge for your help to continue.
First Coast News is hearing more stories of how some families of locals made "miracle" escapes, but others were lost. The death toll is now nearly the size of the population of Deland, with more than 35,000 people reported dead so far. The United Nations relief chief has told news organizations he expects that number to grow by at least 15,000.
"Not forget about the people over there," said Sel Buyuksarac, a Turkish American in Jacksonville. "It can be happen to us too."
Buyuksarac calls it a miracle his cousins and their families in Turkey survived the earthquake. He says they escaped to their car but then had to try not to freeze. One week later, they're safe with family elsewhere in the country, but like millions, are now homeless. Reports show the number of survivors being found has dropped.
"It's hurting as a human," Buyuksarac said. "Friend of mine actually here, his whole family die. They were hoping until the last minute to find out they reach them - two young kids, less than teenagers and the husband, wife die."
Buyuksarac, who is a cofounder of River City Science Academy, thinks of the children lost and of the mental health of survivors.
"Regardless of it's my hometown, home country, I'm a Turkish American or not," he said. "As a human seeing the people suffering and the dying, passing away because of this nature of disaster, I don't want to see anybody to be dying. Because so many people, especially, I mentioned, that the kids had a dream."
To keep the dreams of survivors alive, working among children safe in Jacksonville, Buyuksrac urges families to donate to help earthquake survivors.