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“He was pushing a lady in a wheelchair, he goes to the stairwell, and he immediately turns around on the stairwell and puts the wheelchair on his back,” said Brad Wilkinson at the scene of the fire. “It was the craziest thing I’ve ever seen.

“I think he was just trying to help as many people as he could, because right when we got to the bottom, he turned around and sprinted right back inside.”

Photo by Ian Kucerak / Postmedia

Photo by Ian Kucerak / Edmonton

Senol said while Kasikcioglu is too proud to admit it, he has suffered physically and emotionally from the fire. Even still, Senol said Kasikcioglu would never hesitate to help someone in need.

“Only one person died that day. If it wasn’t for him, I don’t know if there would be others,” Senol said Monday.

Senol said on Wednesday, Kasikcioglu — a Turkish immigrant who came to Canada to provide a better life for his wife and two young children — suddenly felt nauseated and dizzy.

After going to the hospital, Senol said doctors diagnosed Kasikcioglu with a brain tumour.

“The kids are very scared,” said Senol, who said Kasikcioglu is still in hospital awaiting surgery.

Kasikcioglu is scared, too, said Senol, but not for himself.

Senol said Kasikcioglu has been running his business, Maximo’s Pizza and Donair at 11729 Jasper Ave., alone. As long as he remains in hospital, the doors will stay closed, meaning his family will have no income.

Senol said Kasikcioglu is most afraid for how he will support his family.

Even after the surgery, Senol said the doctors have warned him his recovery process could be long and he risks brain damage that could reduce his mobility on the left side of his body.

Kasikcioglu’s friends have started a fundraising campaign to help support his family during his recovery and are trying to organize volunteers to reopen his shop until he is able to return to work.

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ctheobald@postmedia.com