Pro Valorant player Gizem “Luie” Harmankaya was one of the causalities the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria left in its wake.
On February 6, 2023, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit parts of Turkey and Syria in the early morning, lasting two minutes. A second earthquake hit nine hours later, a 7.5 magnitude. Between the two massive earthquakes, 34,000 lives were lost. More bodies — and survivors — are expected to be found under the rubble as relief efforts continue.
One of the lives lost was Luie.
Luie, a resident of Marash, Turkey, most recently played on UnknownPros’ all-female Valorant team. Before that, Luie played for Galakticos Sirens and Viviace Vista. Luie’s last game was on August 13, 2022. She was one of the top performers during UnknownPros’ match against Besiktas Esports.
The esports community became concerned for Luie when YouTuber Tolunary Oren tweeted that he couldn’t reach her and it had been 24 hours since he heard from her. Many responded with panic and concern. People began tweeting that Luie hadn’t responded to calls for help on-site.
Soon after, another person wrote on Twitter that Luie had been found but she had been trapped under the rubble of a collapsed building. They wrote that her boyfriend had allegedly touched her and got no reaction, adding that her body was cold.
After 40 hours of panic over Luie’s unknown condition, it was confirmed that she had passed away. UnknownPros was the first to share the news to the public.
After Luie was pronounced dead, the esports community responded with sadness over the loss of such a talented and inspirational player. One fellow Valorant player said it’s hard to lose a woman in the esports scene, but said her achievements will not be forgotten.
The amount of lost lives in Turkey and Syria has continued to increase. Relief efforts from the United Nations and various organizations have continued searching the rubble in hopes of rescuing people and providing more aid.
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