An emotional farewell from Ekrem İmamoğlu to Ferdi Zeyrek! 'After a brave man...'

Manisa Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ferdi Zeyrek, who lost his life as a result of an accident at his home, was laid to rest accompanied by the tears and prayers of tens of thousands of people.

Imprisoned Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor and CHP presidential candidate Ekrem İmamoğlu had applied to attend the funeral of his close friend Zeyrek, but permission was not granted.

İmamoğlu bid farewell to Zeyrek today with words he penned from Silivri.

AN EMOTIONAL FAREWELL FROM İMAMOĞLU

Sharing a message through his lawyers from the "Presidential Candidate Office" account, İmamoğlu said, "Every time we came together with our Mayor, I felt his growing enthusiasm, his faith, his passion for duty, his smiling face, and his fighting spirit."

"I will never forget the words of Mayor Ferdi, who never left any of his friends alone in the most difficult conditions and times, when he gave me a strength-giving embrace during his last visit to Silivri, bowing his head—despite being taller than me—to rest it on my shoulder with his brave stance, telling me, 'We will never leave you alone,' and I will never forget that beautiful soul of his," said İmamoğlu, continuing as follows:

"As I accompanied him to eternity from Silivri with my prayers and teary eyes, watching our esteemed mayor's fellow citizens and friends unite their prayers with their applause, and being a companion on the path to such a person, moved me so, so deeply."

"HE LEFT A GREAT MARK!"

İmamoğlu stated, "Ferdi Zeyrek left a great mark! He departed this mortal world too soon. His spirit of service and energy will be a guide and a light for all local administrators who come after him."

The full text of Ekrem İmamoğlu's post is as follows:

"In Memory of a Brave Man…

Our Mayor Ferdi Zeyrek; when he became the Metropolitan Municipality mayoral candidate and came to visit me, he carried the excitement of the responsibility he took on for Manisa and his desire to succeed in his body and soul. When we embraced, I felt his high energy and enthusiasm.

I understood at that moment that I was sharing knowledge, experience, and projects with a mayor who had a very high desire to succeed, who was strong and passionate. As I sent him off without any doubt, I saw that Mr. Özgür Özel had identified a very fitting name as the 'city trustee' (şehir-i emin) for Manisa.

I experienced his peak energy and enthusiasm after he won the election, during a meeting on what we could do together and how we could develop joint projects. I saw before me a brave man who had set out for ancient Manisa and its very important districts, who had become the mayor for everyone—those who voted for him and those who did not—who did not carry a shred of partisanship in his soul, who loved people because they were human, and who was a lover of the Republic, democracy, and Atatürk.

Every time we came together with our Mayor, I felt his growing enthusiasm, his faith, his passion for duty, his smiling face, and his fighting spirit.

I will never forget the words of Mayor Ferdi, who never left any of his friends alone in the most difficult conditions and times, when he gave me a strength-giving embrace during his last visit to Silivri, bowing his head—despite being taller than me—to rest it on my shoulder with his brave stance, telling me, “We will never leave you alone,” and I will never forget that beautiful soul of his.

As I accompanied him to eternity from Silivri with my prayers and teary eyes, watching our esteemed mayor's fellow citizens and friends unite their prayers with their applause, and being a companion on the path to such a person, moved me so, so deeply.

Ferdi Zeyrek left a great mark! He departed this mortal world too soon. His spirit of service and energy will be a guide and a light for all local administrators who come after him.

These unparalleled and emotional images from the funeral of our Mayor Ferdi are a summary of how passionately our nation clings to an understanding that is well-intentioned, smiling, unifying, sees politics as a tool for service rather than an end, is free from partisanship, and is fair and embracing during these difficult days.

Ferdi Zeyrek made us experience the importance of being one and being together at a time when we needed it most! He departed this mortal world, but he will always be with us!

We will never forget you, may your place be in heaven! May your soul rest in peace!"