03.12.2025 12:36
In Sivas, the physically disabled couple Halil and Gülseren Geçkil established an association to support individuals facing similar challenges, overcoming obstacles together throughout their 28 years of marriage. Their struggle to ensure the participation of disabled individuals in social life serves as an inspiration.
The physically disabled couple, Halil and Gülseren Geçkil, have become one of the biggest supporters of individuals with disabilities facing similar challenges through the association they established.
WRONG INJECTION DARKENED HIS LIFE
Halil Geçkil, who became physically disabled due to a paralysis caused by a wrong injection he received at a hospital at a young age, and Gülseren Geçkil, who became physically disabled after an illness at the age of 7 months, united their lives 28 years ago. Overcoming difficulties together throughout their marriage, the Geçkil couple founded the Association for Physically and Mentally Disabled Individuals in 2015 to bring hope to the lives of people with disabilities. The couple, who share the burdens of life together, has helped thousands of disabled individuals over the past 10 years. Living a life in harmony with their bodies, they have also become a source of inspiration for those around them through their struggle to make life easier for people with disabilities.
'WE GAVE 3,771 WHEELCHAIRS AND 358 ELECTRIC VEHICLES'
Halil Geçkil stated that they decided to establish the association in 2015 with his wife to enable individuals with disabilities to participate in social life, saying, "Since 2015, we have started to serve people. We have provided 3,771 wheelchairs and 358 electric vehicles. We sent them to places in need all over Turkey. We try to serve people so that our disabled brothers and special children are not trapped inside the house. Because my wife and I have experienced difficulties. She uses a walking device, and I also use a walking device. We have tried to overcome obstacles hand in hand. We have connected people like us to life. The people we support have been very happy. Sometimes we struggle, but my wife goes one way, and I go another. We are happy. When we touch a person's hand one day, I really feel happy in the evening, and my wife feels happy. We need to experience this happiness. We need to experience making people happy. When you give something to a child in need, they become very happy and come crawling. The smiles on that child's face are enough for us. In the evening, we live their happiness peacefully at home," he said.
'WE WALK HAND IN HAND ON THE ROAD'
Halil Geçkil, who stated that they have had a happy marriage for 28 years, said, "We are disabled, but I have never been able to walk together and eat ice cream with my wife. I couldn't walk hand in hand with my wife. We couldn't hold our child in my arms. They gifted us an electric car. I took my wife with me. At first, I was going with crutches; I was ashamed to ride the electric car. We walked side by side with my wife. Now we walk hand in hand on the road. People look at us, and we like it. We used to look at people; now people look at us. We feel happy when they look at us," he said.
'IT HAS BECOME OUR DUTY TO STAND BY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES'
Gülseren Geçkil, who expressed her support for people with disabilities alongside her husband, said, "Being disabled does not mean not being connected to life. The obstacle should not be in a person's body but in their mind. Since there are many disabled people around us, my husband and I support them together. My husband is the president of the association, and I support him. I am always by his side. Thank God we have a healthy daughter. We have just become grandparents. This has connected us even more to life. Being alongside people with disabilities, sharing their joy, troubles, and sorrows has become our duty. The happier they are, the happier we are. We have experienced the difficulties that everyone faces in marriage, and as disabled individuals, we faced even more challenges. There are times when you can't take the kettle and put it on the table. You can't serve guests. We have practiced these things. We lived in a house without an elevator, and it was very difficult when we had a child. But still, we did not give up in life. We tried to overcome difficulties along with our disabilities. Right now, we have a beautiful association and a happy marriage," she said.