Heartbreaking Heart Failure in Konya

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Milliyet Newspaper, 13 September 2019)




In Karapınar district of Konya province, farmer Fikret Balkan (26) and
Meltem Ertunç (22) became engaged three months ago.  Last Monday,
Meltem hanım went to visit her relatives in Konya city and Fikret bey
came along to do some shopping in connection with the couple's
wedding three months from now.

After shopping, the couple went to Beyşehir Lake, where they boarded
a yacht decked out with balloons and roses.  Here Fikret bey surprised
Meltem hanım by asking her to marry him right away, instead of waiting
three more months. Meltem hanım accepted with tears of joy.

The couple then headed back to Karapınar, with Fikret bey driving and
Meltem hanım seemingly asleep in the passenger seat.  However, when
Meltem hanım didn't respond to Fikret bey's remarks, he stopped the
car and realized that Meltem hanım wasn't breathing.  He took her to
a hospital but despite the doctors' efforts there she could not be
revived.  An autopsy determined that Meltem hanım had suffered a
heart attack.  At her funeral Meltem hanım's coffın was covered with
her 'duvak' (bridal veil).


Karapınar district is center-right.  Beyşehir Lake is center-
left.