Dozens gather at vigil in Mount Prospect for those devastated by Turkey, Syria earthquakes
MOUNT PROSPECT, Ill. (CBS) -- More than 21,000 people are now known to have been killed in the earthquakes Monday in Turkey and Syria – and the odds of finding people alive dwindle with each passing hour.
Sub-freezing temperatures are threatening thousands of survivors, who are now without shelter, water, food, or medicine.
But rescuers are not giving up hope just yet. On Thursday evening, search teams pulled out a 10-year-old girl who was buried in wreckage for nine hours. It took the rescue team seven hours to free her.
Meanwhile, dozens gathered Thursday night at the Turkish American Society of Chicago in Mount Prospect to support the victims of the earthquake.
As CBS 2's Jermont Terry reported, "hope" and "healing" were two words echoed repeatedly at a vigil at the Turkish American Society – as dozens came out to support those with so much hurt.
It was a somber vigil of various faiths as a community came together to reflect. Muhammet Cakir was among those at the interfaith service who was looking for healing.
"This is the worst thing that has happened in my life," Cakir said. "I cannot express my feelings about it because I lost my friend's whole family. I've been crying."
It has been a week of tears for so many who attended the vigil. Cakir lost his high school friend's family in the Turkish earthquake. His own family lived – but survival this week has been agonizing for his loved ones.
"When I talked with my sister, she said it was horrible - and they had to stay in the car," Cakir said, "and my whole family stayed in the car."
So it was imperative for Cakir to pause with friends by his side, and his community's support.
"I think it's an example of the solidarity and the meaning of humanity," he said.
Skip Lundgren has no ties to Turkey or Syria, but he attended the interfaith service too.
"They need to know we care, and God cares," Lundgren said. "The tragedy is enormous, and we can't ignore that."
And while the roses handed out to everyone at the vigil may wither over time, the compassion shown by those gathering provided something deeper to those hurting.
"It gives us hope," Cakir said. "Hope is a really important thing in these days."
The Turkish American Society of Chicago is also collecting donations and cash that will go directly to those overseas.