Message from İlber Ortaylı on Ferdi Zeyrek: 'He was closely interested in knowledge and culture'
Renowned historian, author, and academic İlber Ortaylı expressed his condolences for Manisa Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ferdi Zeyrek, who lost his life due to electrocution, stating, "It has been one of the losses that has shaken me the most in our recent history. May we have our condolences."
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Manisa Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ferdi Zeyrek, who was electrocuted while checking a malfunction in his home's pool and had been receiving treatment in intensive care for some time, has passed away. Zeyrek was laid to rest today in the presence of tens of thousands of Manisa residents.
İlber Ortaylı shared a post about Ferdi Zeyrek on his social media account. Stating that he met Ferdi Zeyrek at a conference he attended in Manisa, Ortaylı said, "He was very hardworking, had a distinct personality, and a vast accumulation of knowledge. His team around him was the same. He was someone who did not show intolerance toward sharp characters and could establish healthy relationships with those around him."
İlber Ortaylı's social media post is as follows:
"Ferdi Zeyrek was from the generation of young mayors; he was born in 1977. He was an energetic, hyperactive person with a strong sense of humor. He had a nature that understood technical work, even cleaning his own weapon.
For me, he was a representative of a new cadre, a new mayor. I had the opportunity to get to know him closely; we were together a few weeks ago on the occasion of a conference in Manisa.
He was very hardworking, had a distinct personality, and a vast accumulation of knowledge. His team around him was the same. He was someone who did not show intolerance toward sharp characters and could establish healthy relationships with those around him. He worked in harmony with all his close colleagues, especially his wife. His staff was dynamic and consisted of people coming from different ideas.
He showed great interest in the country's environmental problems and the historical heritage that is very important for Manisa. He was closely interested in knowledge and culture. Honestly, his enthusiasm had impressed me too. I said, 'If such a person asks for support, I must definitely be by his side.' Even despite my age, I had started planning, 'What can I do?' But it was not meant to be. This loss is truly a very sad void.
It has been one of the losses that has shaken me the most in our recent history. May we have our condolences."