Former national basketball player, 74-year-old Özcan Yaykın, commemorated his father, glider pilot Avni Yaykın, who died as a result of an accident on a test flight years ago, on Father’s Day, with the book he wrote.
National basketball player Yaykın, who called out to his father with the lines “I loved my father most in life” by the master poet Can Yücel, included the history of the Turkish Aeronautical Association in civil aviation, memories and photographs of his father in the book called “Uçman Avni Yaykın” and said, “Value while living, not after you leave. I lost my father, but he still takes care of me.” He expressed his longing for his father.
74-year-old Yaykın, who is staying at the Ministry of Family and Social Services Ankara Seyranbağları Nursing Home Elderly Care and Rehabilitation Center, told Anadolu Agency about his life.
Indicating that basketball, which he started when he was still in the second grade of secondary school, left a mark on his whole life, Yaykın said that all his earnings and acquisitions were related to sports.
Expressing that he played professional basketball for 19 years, Yaykın said, “I started in Şekerspor, then I played in the champion team of Istanbul Technical University. Later, I took part in the Ankaragücü team and became the champion. Then in DSİ Spor and finally in Yenişehir Club. I played and quit basketball in my 30s.” he said.
Explaining that he founded a basketball sports school after leaving his professional sports life, Yaykın said, “I founded a basketball club called Efes Ankara. We participated in competitions in all categories, both boys and girls. I ran this business for 21 years.” said.
Stating that he is trying to teach his students about life, sharing, acting together, being happy together, being sad together through sports, Yaykın expressed that he is trying to be a light for about 5 thousand children.
Yaykın said that his busy work schedule got heavy after a while and he put an end to his professional work, and left everything and settled in Çanakkale.
“My doctor, my dear, my daughter, who is my everything, tied me to life”
Explaining that he had a brain hemorrhage and had a very difficult time while visiting his foster daughter Sevinç Kasım in Ankara, Yaykın stated that Kasım, who was a doctor during the treatment process, was with him at all times.
Yaykın said, “I had a brain hemorrhage at my doctor’s house, which I called my dear daughter, and they took me to the hospital within 10 minutes. My doctor, my dear, my daughter, who is my everything, connected me to life. She is my only one. She told me, ‘I definitely don’t want you to live alone anymore, I’m going to Ankara. You will return and you will be under my care.’ After that, I started living in this building in Seyranbağları Nursing Home for 2.5 years.” said.
“My father is not alive, but he still looks after me”
Yaykın stated that he had a very happy time in the nursing home and that he took time for himself.
Stating that he traveled frequently and visited his friends before the Kovid-19 epidemic, Yaykın said that he started preparations to write a book during the epidemic.
Emphasizing that one of the most important people in his life is Avni Yaykın, the father of the martyred glider pilot, Yaykın said that he wrote a book for him and said, “My dear father was a world champion glider. My father was the Glider School Manager of the Turkish Aeronautical Association Türkkuş, founded by Atatürk. I watched him die a martyr before my eyes in 1958.” she couldn’t hold back her tears.
Saying, “May God never let any child experience such a thing,” Yaykın continued:
“Growing up without a father, starting life with zero defeat, as it is said, on September 17, my father was making a test flight with the newly built prototype glider with the glider. The winglet came off during the flight and he was martyred with his student in Etimesgut. I was 11 years old at that time, because I was there. “I saw everything. It was a great disaster. These are painful things, they are very much in my memory.”
Yaykın, “In the book called Uçman Avni Yaykın, we included the history of the Turkish Aeronautical Association in civil aviation. I also included about 15 memories and photos with my dear father. I hope we will share this book as well.” said.
Pointing to the importance of the father figure, Yaykın said:
“Dad is very important especially for his son, it was exactly when I needed him at the age of 11, but I lost my father. My father is not alive, but I am in constant contact with him. Because he still watches over me. I’ve been through a lot of events, I always felt my father by my side. I miss my father very much. , I believe that he always helps me. My father helps me in some difficult moments, I feel. Mother and father are very important in life. Motherhood is very sublime, but father is very important, especially for a boy. The value of a father should be known while he is alive, not after he is gone. A kissing hand Asking about the situation makes both the father and the child happy.”
“The income from the sale of the book will be distributed to students or servants in need”
Referring to the process he started to write a book, Yaykın said, “I interviewed about 100 people from the high school I graduated from online. Together with my friend Mehmet Meram Pakel, we made the compilations and ‘The Memoirs of the Establishment of Bahçelievler Trial High School’ and ‘The Memories of the Foundation of Bahçelievler Trial High School-What. We have worked on and published two separate books, “What We Have Lived,” and it has been published. Important names have taken part in many fields from politics to basketball. The income from the sale of the book will be distributed to students or servants in need after the schools are fully opened.” he said.
“I am very happy to be with him”
His spiritual daughter, 45-year-old anesthesiologist Dr. Sevinç Kasım visited Özcan Yaykın with her daughter in her nursing home.
Kasım said, “Ozcan brother, my brother, my father, my uncle… We are actually related, my father’s cousin, but our bond is very different.” said.
Emphasizing that they are always together and support each other in good and bad times, Kasım said, “I am very happy to know him and be with him. Today, I came here to celebrate Father’s Day with my daughter. I love him very much and I celebrate Father’s Day, it’s a good thing. I hope we have many more beautiful years together.” he said.
On the Anadolu Agency website, news presented to subscribers via the AA News Flow System (HAS) is published in summary. Please contact for subscription.
.
