A Turkish asylum-seeker’s dreams of a new life in New York lasted only two months, his hopes for a brighter future stolen by an accused drunken driver.
Abdulhekim Esiyok’s journey began in Dogubeyazit, Azri, Turkey, less than 23 miles from the Iranian border, before ending in the fatal June 4 crash at Third Ave. and E. 21st St. near Manhattan’s Gramercy Park.
“He always mentioned New York as a magical city,” said cousin Sefkan Esiyok, 20, through a translator. “His main goal was his family’s future. He said he wanted to buy them a house in Turkey and he wanted to give them a good life in Turkey. That was really his main focus.”
The 23-year-old Abdulhekim Esiyok is survived by his parents, an older sister and two younger brothers. The immigrant worked a job delivering food to send money to them back in his homeland.
“He woke up early in the morning, worked often late night making sure he’s contributing as well as get something for his future,” said Mehmet Sahin, 26, another cousin of the victim.
Driver Mahbub Ali, began drinking at a noon brunch and had a blood alcohol level of .158, nearly twice the legal limit, two hours after the 7:30 p.m. crash, authorities charged.
Ali, 26, behind the wheel of a Hyundai Sonata, also hit and injured a 26-year-old woman, a 21-year old man and an 18-year-old man on an e-bike before slamming into a parked and unoccupied NYPD van.
A 25-year-old woman riding inside his car suffered a leg injury and Ali was hit with charges of manslaughter, DWI and assault.
Abdulhekim Esiyok began planning for his move to the city nine months before his life ended tragically while crossing a Manhattan street.
Abdulhekim Esiyok made his way from Turkey 10 days after his cousin Sefkan. Both men traveled first to Istanbul, then Mexico, then crossed the border into San Diego, where they were processed and released.
From there, they flew to New York and were placed in a shelter on Randall’s Island. Abdulhekim Esiyok had been moved to a shelter in Brooklyn, while his cousin stayed behind.
The men were in close touch each day, so when Sefkan Esiyok didn’t hear from his cousin that raised an alarm.
“Normally he calls me around 8:00 and I did not receive any call from him, said Sefkan Esiyok. “That got me worried and I went to the police station after that.”
“I heard from my friends,” he added. “They told me there had been an accident and a Turkish citizen was killed.”
As Sefkan Esiyok headed to Bellevue, Sahin called the hospital to learn about the shocking and sudden death.
“I remember the doctor on the phone telling me that he was really, really sorry,” said Sahin. “There was nothing he could do, he just passed away.”
Sefkan Esiyok, not allowed back into his shelter after curfew, traveled to Staten Island to stay with Sahin that night.
An online fundraiser to bring Abdulhekim Esiyok’s body back to Turkey brought in $25,660 before it was closed, with donations pouring in from the Turkish community and beyond.
“The news of Adbulhekim was moved by word of mouth,” said Sahin. “From people to people, across everywhere.”
“One Bengali guy who actually contributed $1,000, he came here six or seven years ago, just like him,” he added. “He told me that once he heard the story he was devastated. He thought that it could’ve been him as well.”
The funeral was held in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, on June 9 and Abdulhekim Esiyok’s body went back to Turkey two days later.
“The parents are totally devastated. They cry all the time,” said Sefkan Esiyok, who was stunned by the driver’s actions. “Why would he drink so much and get on the road and give this tragedy to people?”
“He came here for the American Dream,” said Samatha Raphaelson, the family’s lawyer. “There needs to be criminal responsibility on drunk drivers as well as the establishments that provide liquor to patrons in such a manner.”
Of all the people who are crushed by grief and missing Abdulhekim Esiyok, the one feeling the loss most of all may be the cousin he planned his new life with.
“He believed that things were looking up. He was an optimistic person. He was my closest friend and cousin,” said Sefkan Esiyok. “I feel lonely here all by myself.”