Amid the first anniversary of the twin earthquakes that ravaged southeastern Türkiye last year, Christian Atsu's memory remains vivid in the hearts of many in the sports world who honored the Ghanaian footballer lost in the aftermath.
Following Christian Atsu's passing, the Ghana Football Federation decided to retire the No. 7 jersey of the national team.
As the anniversary unfolded, Atsu was fondly remembered not only by his family but also by athletes, including Hatayspor's head coach, Volkan Demirel, who honored his former player.
Recollections from Atsu's mother, brother, and manager added depth to the remembrance.
Resume
Caught in the devastating earthquakes measuring 7.7 and 7.6 that shook Türkiye, Christian Atsu's death was confirmed on Feb. 18.
Formerly playing for Hatayspor, the 31-year-old athlete had a notable career, gracing teams such as Porto, Chelsea, and Newcastle United. Notably, Atsu scored his solitary goal for Hatayspor in their victorious match against Kasimpasa, just a day before the earthquake.
On the earthquake anniversary, Hatayspor's head coach, Volkan Demirel, honored Atsu with a poignant tribute.
Reflecting on Atsu's first and last goal for the team, Demirel expressed, "This goal, scored by Atsu, stands as his final gift to us – a symbol of joy and hope shattered by the earthquake, which claimed Atsu, our coach Taner, and many others we dearly miss. As a year passes since their departure, we fondly remember them with love and mercy, mourning the profound loss felt by Hatay and our 10 provinces."
Family man
Atsu's family also made statements to the British press.
His sister, Christiana Atsupie Twasam, expressed that the late Atsu loved helping people around him and saw everyone as his own family.
"He would adapt to people no matter what. He saw everyone around him as his child, his relative. He loved sharing, but if he did something for you, he did not want anyone else to know about it," Twasam said.
His fiancee, Claire Rupio, emphasized Atsu's humble personality, saying, "He loved supporting people. If there was a homeless man outside, he would give him money. He was special."
"He had called the kids before the match. We talked after the match to congratulate him on his goal. Everything was normal; he was supposed to call on Monday, but he did not," she added.
Rupio, who tried to stay positive after hearing about the earthquake, said, "I heard about the earthquake on the radio while taking the kids to school. After dropping them off, I saw a lot of missed calls from Christiana and thought, 'What's going on?' I called him back. He told me, 'The building collapsed.' I was shocked; this couldn't be true. I had to pick up the kids from school because I didn't want them to hear it from anyone else. I told them that there was an earthquake where their father played, and they hadn't found him yet. They deserved to know everything. They were very upset and cried. I tried to stay positive and told them their father would be okay," she said.
"I realized when I saw Nana's name on the phone around 3 a.m. on Saturday night. I answered the phone; Nana was crying. He said, 'I'm so sorry' and couldn't say anything else," said Rupio.
"I had to find a way to tell my kids that their father had died. It was terrible, I had so much going through my mind. I told the kids, 'They found your dad, but they couldn't save him.' This is something I wish no parent had to do. It was heart-wrenching; Christian was everything to them. Losing someone is hard for everyone, but we couldn't even say goodbye to him," she added.
"When people ask, 'How are you coping?' I say, 'I'm not coping. I'm just surviving every day.' Sometimes I message Christian on WhatsApp, just to pour my heart out. My daughter Abigail drew a picture on the 24th of the month and said to me, 'Don't forget to send this to dad.' At first, I said 'Okay,' but then I had to explain to her that Christian was watching her from above, and she was very upset," she said.
Rupio announced plans to establish the Christian Atsu Memorial Foundation, acknowledging the complexity of grief, stating, "I navigate through denial and acceptance, fluctuating without progress; losing Christian hit me harder than anything."
Atsu's sister, Twasam, expressed her desperation, wishing she could fly to the scene, where the reality of the devastation sunk in as they searched for survivors, only to confirm the loss of loved ones.
Manager Nana Sechere recounted the heartbreaking moment they identified Atsu's body among many, describing the anguish of recognition before collapsing in despair.