21.04.2026 00:34
In Çorum, the mosque imam who led the funeral prayer for the mentally disabled young man known as the "joy of the village" and the citizens could not hold back their tears. The images of those moments shared on social media left everyone in sorrow.
33-year-old mentally disabled Dursun Karatepe, who lived in Üyük village of Çorum's central district, passed away on April 17 after falling ill.
HE WAS KNOWN AS "THE JOY OF THE VILLAGE" The funeral of Karatepe, known as the joy of the village, was buried after the funeral prayer was performed. The imam of the village mosque, Mustafa Yıldırım, who led the funeral prayer, and the citizens were overwhelmed with tears. Imam Yıldırım shed tears at the head of the coffin of the disabled young man who had never left him alone for 13 years, asking for forgiveness. The funeral of Dursun Karatepe, who was loved by everyone, was buried amidst tears.
THE IMAM STRUGGLED TO STAND Moments when the village imam struggled to stand at the head of the coffin before the funeral prayer were recorded by a citizen with a mobile phone. The images shared on social media saddened thousands of people.
“HE RUSHED TO HELP EVERYONE WITHOUT EXPECTING ANYTHING IN RETURN” Mustafa Yıldırım, the Imam Hatip of Üyük Village Mosque, stated that Dursun Karatepe accompanied him in the mosque for 13 years and rushed to help all the citizens in the village, saying, "My brother Dursun was my friend and brother in this village where I have served for 13 years. I was emotional while leading the funeral prayer. The reason is that our brother Dursun was mentally disabled while walking in the streets of the village, he could not speak, but he was a very strong person physically. He would help everyone in the village. He would help them without expecting anything in return. In the summers, he would come to the mosque for Quran courses. If he couldn't read or write, he would always be with me in the mosque. He would help me when there was work in the mosque. He did all these without expecting anything in return. Our brother Dursun was a person loved and respected not only by me but by all the villagers. Dursun never harmed or did any evil to anyone in this village," he said.
“NO ONE REMAINED UNCRYING AT THE FUNERAL PRAYER” Yıldırım expressed that the death of the disabled young man saddened everyone, saying, "There were many people from surrounding villages who knew him. Therefore, after his death, not only the citizens in our village but everyone who knew him was saddened. After leading the funeral prayer, the words of Mevlana came to my mind: ‘A person cries when they are born, their relatives laugh. Live such a life that after you die, you rejoice, and people cry behind you.’ This is a saying that fits Dursun perfectly. When Dursun passed away, no one remained uncrying at his funeral prayer. This also shows how much our brother Dursun was loved and respected, and it reveals our people's perspective towards the disabled," he said.