HOLLAND, Mich. — As the death toll continues to climb in Turkey and Syria as a result of February's earthquake, a West Michigander living in that area is working to help those impacted.
The Holland native was in the red zone of the epicenter when it hit.
READ: Powerful 7.8 quake knocks down buildings in Turkey, Syria
Katie Hoffswell was visiting Şanlıurfa, a city in Southeastern Turkey, when the earthquake hit. The rumble woke her and her friend up and caused panic.
"We felt it pretty much in full force," said Katie Hoffswell, a Holland native who is raising money for earthquake victims.
Hoffswell said it felt like extremely strong airplane turbulence.
"We were trying to hide under the doorway and stay away from any objects that were potentially going to come off the ceiling or the wall," said Hoffswell.
The Fulbright scholar and her friends, who were teaching English in an Eastern Turkish city, were on winter break visiting the city.
"What really affected my friends and I was we were watching the TV seeing these buildings just totally collapsing, and the person who was working at the hotel said, ‘You know, that building is only two blocks away,’ and it was a building that just completely pancaked," said Hoffswell.
She and her friends knew the trip needed to end immediately, but it was difficult trying to get back to their main base with bus cancellation after bus cancellation.
As they were waiting to leave, another quake hit the area with a high magnitude.
"We're so lucky that we didn't have any disruption at [the] bus station because that earthquake ... after kind of affecting the first earthquake, unsettling a lot of buildings. The second earthquake brought destruction to so many buildings," said Hoffswell.
The group was finally able to get out unharmed but others weren't as lucky.
"I have some students who have lost their homes. I have students who have lost family members, and it's been really, really awful, and so that's what inspired my friends and I to organize this fundraiser in the first place," said Hoffswell.
Her students are what pushed her to want to help. She said she felt more connected to the community after the devastating event and knows American currency can go much further in Turkey.
"I know this is a amazing community, full of really great people who are really supportive, and I know Turkey and Syria seem really far away, but you have the power to help and to make a difference, and just by donating a little bit of money, it can make a major difference to the people in this area," said Hoffswell.
To put into perspective how far the U.S. dollar goes, for $1 you could purchase around 15 loaves of bread in Turkey.
To donate to recovery efforts, click here.
