Meet Kazim Budak, the trucker who drove nonstop to help quake survivors

When a devastating earthquake struck Türkiye on February 6, 2023, volunteers from across the country mobilised to help in any way they could.

However, reaching the 11 affected provinces in southern Türkiye wasn't easy. Roads and highways had caved in, and heavy rain and snow made the journey difficult.

But Kazim Budak, a 65-year-old truck driver, didn’t let any of those concerns stop him from trying to reach the people trapped under the rubble of their collapsed homes.

He drove an 18-wheeler truck carrying an excavator from Istanbul to Kahramanmaras, covering the usual 13-hour journey in just 9 hours—without a single break.

Someone driving past made a video of Budak’s truck flying down the road, the wheels splashing water vapours in their wake, the high-beam headlights flickering in the rain.

"I never slowed down," he told TRT World.

"My mind was already there. I kept wondering when I would finally reach the earthquake zone. I didn’t feel hunger or thirst—I was just focused on the road with the need to reach Maras as soon as possible."

As he pressed the accelerator, determined to reach the disaster area as quickly as possible, he braved relentless rain and snow. Speed was the least of his concerns.

"Normally I never speed and abide by the rules, however on that tragic day I turned off the tachometer and the odometer so I wouldn’t even see it. After that, I drove at full speed—whatever God gave me."

Upon arriving in Kahramanmaras, the devastation he saw brought him to tears.

"When I entered Maras, my tears flowed. Seeing the struggle of those people, I couldn't hold back my emotions."

The short clip spread like wildfire on social media. People across Türkiye sent their prayers to him.

Budak was unaware of the video clip's existence and says that he was simply doing what he believed anyone would do.

Media outlets across Europe took notice, with many quoting, "The Turks are flying!"—a testament to the country’s swift response to the disaster.

A family united in service

Kazim wasn’t the only one in his family who answered the call to help. His son and son-in-law, both in the medical field, immediately volunteered for duty.

His children insisted that he was too old (65 years old at the time) to make the dangerous journey himself, but he refused to stay behind.

"I did what I was capable of doing—driving my truck!" he told TRTWorld. Budak had been driving trucks for 45 years.

On the road, he thought only of those trapped under the rubble, setting aside any concern for himself. "I called my mother, ‘Mom, I’m going to the earthquake zone.’ She said, ‘Son, recite Ayat al-Kursi, three Surahs of Ikhlas, and Al-Fatiha.’"

"Even If I Were an Ant Carrying Water to a Fire..."

Kazim Budak was born in Yusufeli, Artvin, and has spent more than four decades as a heavy-duty truck driver.

"Even if I were just an ant carrying water to a fire, I wanted to do my part to help save lives. This is a matter of faith and belief—just as Sheikh Edebali said, ‘Let the people live so that the state may live.’"

When he arrived in the disaster zone, he was both heartbroken and inspired. While the destruction was overwhelming, he was deeply moved by the dedication of civil defence teams, charities, NGOs, and state institutions, all working tirelessly to help survivors.

Budak became an instant hero, but he refused to be in the spotlight.

"I am no hero. I’m just like all my fellow truck drivers who rushed to deliver aid to the region. I just happened to be filmed by someone—that’s all. Everyone was a hero on that tragic day."