Calgary man trying to bring over injured family from Turkey: ‘I can’t let them go and die here’

A Calgary man is frantically looking for help from the Canadian government, in hopes of bringing the remaining two members of his family to Canada after the deadly earthquake earlier this month in Turkey.

Mohammad Nikzad flew to Turkey on Feb. 6, a day after the powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake rocked the country.

More than 46,000 people have been reported dead — including Nikzad’s mother and one of his sisters, who were killed when their home collapsed on them.

All that remains of the family of four living in Turkey are his brother and sister.

“Right now I have to take them out of here,” he said from overseas.

“I have to take them with me to my house in Calgary, I have to take care of them out there because I cannot leave them in this situation.

“My family is out there surviving without me and I can’t leave them in this situation. I can’t just let them go and die here.”

Nikzad says both his sibling who survived need emotional and physical support after suffering disabling injuries because of the earthquake.

His brother remains in the ICU in an Ankara hospital after losing both his legs but could be released soon.

His sister, who has had two operations in three days on her legs, is in Kayseri. Nikzad says he can’t get any updates on her condition from the hospital.

“All they say is pray, that she’ll be fine — but she’s getting so weak and with all these operations and infections now, I don’t know,” he said.

According to Nikzad, he has been in contact with the Canadian embassy in Ankara. However, he says, they’ve only told him to get in touch with immigration.

He says he has emailed both immigration and MP Sean Fraser, the minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Canada, but says he has yet to receive a response from either.

“I never got any help, I need it all right now, “he says. “My wife is running everywhere in Calgary and she’s trying. She’s contacting everyone but no one is giving any answers.”

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Global News reached out to the department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada about Nikzad’s family.

In a statement, the government said while it can’t comment on individual cases, it is “are watching the situation very closely and determining the best path forward. When responding to international crises, Canada tailors each response to meet the unique needs of those who require our support. We coordinate with our international partners and consider what they are doing to support.”

The federal government confirmed the earthquake in Turkey’s southeast region didn’t have any impact or delays on any applications and it will update the media and the public as the situation evolves.

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