Turkish Senior and Kitten, Survivors of House Fire, Receive New Home

An elderly Turkish man, whose touching image of him holding his kitten while watching his home burn down captured the world’s attention, has been living in his newly rebuilt home in Bolu province, western Turkey.

Ali Meşe, in his 80s, lost his rural home after accidentally starting a fire. The incident, which left him standing helplessly with his kitten in his arms as his house was engulfed in flames, gained widespread sympathy.

Photo credit: IIhami cetin 

Photo credit: IIhami cetin

Photo credit: IIhami cetin

Following the fire, a collaborative effort was launched by local authorities and organizations, including the Mudurnu Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundation, the Bolu Governorship, the Ministry of Family and Social Policies, and the Turkish Red Crescent, to build Meşe a new home.

Although Meşe initially moved in with his son during the colder months, he continues to visit his village home regularly to care for his three cats.

“My father is content now,” said his son, Ahmet Meşe. “When he’s in the village, my brother helps him out, and I take care of him when he’s back in Bolu. He’s happy to be spending time with both his cats and my brother at the village.”

The fire started when Meşe attempted to light his stove with gasoline, leading to an explosion that destroyed his single-story wooden house. Despite his best efforts, the home could not be saved.

Photo credit: IIhami cetin

Photo credit: IIhami cetin

Photo credit: IIhami cetin

The image of Meşe clutching his orange tabby, Sarıkız (Blonde Girl), while his house burned spread widely on social media, touching hearts across the globe. One of the photos, shared by CNN, gained thousands of likes, and a short video posted by talk show host Ellen Degeneres garnered millions of views.