Ten years after the July 15 coup attempt, Necmi Perçin's sole consolation is waving the Turkish flag. Perçin is the father of Rüstem Resul Perçin who was martyred during the 2016 coup attempt by the terrorist Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ).
The 18-year-old Rüstem Resul Perçin, who attempted to block the terrorist FETÖ coup attempt alongside his brother, uncle, and nephews while wearing his father's military dog tags, was martyred in front of the Presidential Complex by gunfire opened from an Armored Personnel Carrier.
Perçin told Anadolu Agency (AA) that he was out of town on the night of July 15 and that he last saw his son playing computer games at home.
Explaining that the family went through a difficult period following his son's martyrdom, he stated that both they and their other children experienced psychological hardships, adding that their greatest consolation during this process has been adhan, the Islamic call to prayer echoing from minarets and the Turkish flag continuing to wave in the skies.
He also added, "I hope lessons are learned from these atrocities so that people do not suffer, lose their properties, or experience psychological trauma. I pray for a beautiful, prosperous country where Sunni, Alevi, Kurdish and Turkish people live together by loving and embracing one another, without being pitted against each other."
"From now on, this is my sole purpose; it is about sharing your own grief to warn others, saying, 'Learn from my pain so you don't have to suffer,'" he said.
Noting that his son's martyrdom is honorable, he added, "He earned his own rank, and that is his own honor. Our duty now is to live a life that honors his memory, though accepting this loss varies for each family member, especially for the children. I am striving to live as a person who is loyal and dedicated to the homeland, the nation, and the state."
Expressing that the atmosphere at home is "suffocating" every July 15, he said, "Imagine you have a child who will one day take your place. You feel fragile, and you raise this child as the one who will carry on your legacy in life. Then, in an instant, they are gone. Your dreams for him, the small world you built in your own home, are shattered in a blink of an eye. It is truly devastating."
Stating that the most important thing keeping him going for the past 10 years is that the Republic of Türkiye, founded by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, stands strong and resilient, he said, "I am deeply grateful to see our flag flying proudly and the adhan echoing from minarets."
Stating that there is always light at the end of the tunnel, he said, "I have faith in our people. We have a beautiful country, and as long as we stand united, we are moving toward a much brighter future."
Thanking the president for his support, he said, "They say joy shared is joy doubled, grief shared is grief halved. People visit and check on us, which truly helps ease our grief and pain."
