Life on film: the heroism of a Turkish woman who cared for a paralyzed Russian man
A woman named Gulsum from Antalya goes to the hospital one day to visit a relative. On her way back, she sees a young man who has been knocked unconscious in an "accident" and whose name, identity, nationality, and where he comes from are unknown. Gulsum, who decides that she cannot leave the young man in this condition, begins to take care of the young man, who is later identified as a Russian, as her own child. She names him Umid... Later, this story of perseverance is made into a movie.
**Life Moved to the Cinema: The Heroism of a Turkish Woman Who Cared for a Paralyzed Russian Young Man**
It is often said that kindness is decreasing in the world and that people do good only for profit. However, one should not rush to this conclusion. Not everyone does good for profit, does not sell kindness for money. There are many people who do good and share kindness, following the dictates of their hearts. Gulsum Kabadayi from Turkey is one of such women.
**A Chance Meeting**
In 2008, a young man who survived a terrible traffic accident was brought to a hospital in Antalya, Turkey. The condition of the young man, aged 17-18, was critical. Although the doctors did everything they could, the young man became paralyzed. He could neither speak nor move.
No one came to the hospital looking for the young man. He had no identification document with him, and the doctors did not know his name, nationality, or where he was from. The young man, who had become a living corpse, remained in the hospital. Our heroine, Gulsum Kabadayi, one day, received a message from a relative and went to the hospital to see him. She asked the administration about the young man.
The woman was told that the young man could not speak, that he had no documents with him, and that no one had come to ask for him. Gulsum did not want to leave the young man who was her own child. She began to love him and take care of him. She named the young man Umut, which means hope. After Gulsum began to take care of Umut, the young man remained in the intensive care unit for another 100 days. Then the young man was transferred to the ward.
The woman visited the boy in the hospital for a year. Then she applied to adopt him as her son, and after all the documents were formalized, she took him home. At that time, Umut was also given a Turkish passport under the name Mustafa Oz.
The woman had three children and was raising them alone. The woman was exhausted after caring for the paralyzed young man for several months. The young man lost weight and weighed 30 kg. Umut could not eat on his own, so Gulsum fed him through a tube. The young man, whose arms and legs could not function, could not even go to the toilet, and the strong woman took this care on herself.
The woman changed 15-20 diapers every day, washed the young man to keep him clean, turned him on his side several times, and applied ointment to his wounds. In short, the woman treated the young man as well as taking care of him. Because the woman kept the young man and his room very clean, Umut did not have the unpleasant smell that some bedridden patients have. Gulsum's foster children also accepted Umut as a new member of the family.
**Umut and five mothers who turned out to be Russian**
While Gulsum was taking care of Umut, she did not know where he was from or what nationality he was for a long time. The woman took care of Umut without any benefit in mind, she simply thought of informing her relatives about it when she found out who he was.
While the woman was with Umut, she noticed something: when the young man heard Russian words, his facial expression changed. Then Gulsum guessed that he was Russian. Four years passed in this way, and there was no significant change in Umut's health. The young man was still paralyzed and unable to speak.
Meanwhile, the Turkish media found out about Gulsum's heroism and articles about her were published on websites. News about the Turkish woman and the Russian young man she was taking care of reached Russia. In January 2013, Gulsum was invited to one of the most popular shows in Russia, "Pust govoryat". In the program, the woman tells how she met Umut and how she is taking care of him.
Soon, the second part of the program will be shown. In it, five women from different regions of Russia and Moldova claim to be Umut's son. However, DNA tests confirm that none of the women are the young man's mother.
Returning to Turkey, Gulsum shows the young man a video of the programs she participated in. Umut watches the program silently and does not react.
**Umut's death**
Gulsum becomes a little strange after coming to Russia. On the one hand, she aims to find Umut's relatives. On the other hand, she does not want to part with the young man who has become like her own child. On the one hand, Gulsum is happy that the women who claim to be Umut's mother are no one to the young man, but on the other hand, she is sad that she cannot find Umut's relatives.
She repeatedly emphasizes that even if Umut's relatives are found, she will not break off relations with the young man and will remain a mother and child with him. At that time, Gulsum was more worried not about losing her adopted son, but about how her relatives would treat Umut, about not being able to take care of him enough. After all, the woman who had been taking care of Umut for several years knew well the young man's condition, what medications he was taking, and what procedures he needed every day. The woman was able to teach the young man to respond with his eyes.
In January 2018, Umut's condition suddenly worsened. The young man was admitted to the intensive care unit of the hospital. Ten days later, Umut died. Doctors said that his death was caused by pneumonia, diseases of internal organs, and kidney failure.
Gulsum was deeply saddened by Umut's death. The woman did everything she could for the young man, but she suffers from the fact that she could not save his life. Soon, Gulsum establishes a charitable organization and begins to provide wheelchairs and medical care to families with disabilities. She donates the medical equipment purchased for Umut to a rehabilitation center. The woman keeps Umut's belongings and often visits the young man's grave.
**A film about Gulsum's perseverance**
In 2025, Turkish and Russian filmmakers will shoot a film about Gulsum and Umut. The film will have a closed presentation in Moscow in October 2025, and the world premiere will be on November 7. The film, titled "Bi Umut", will feature the role of Gulsum played by Turkish actress Hulya Duar, and the role of Umut played by Leon Kemstach. The film has very little artistic texture, and it mainly depicts the events that Gulsum and Umut experienced, which we told you about a little earlier.