JUST a few weeks ago Birkan Uzun made history becoming the first Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot to have climbed the seven highest peaks and reached Mount Vinson in Antarctica.
28 –year-old Birkan Uzun, a former software engineer at Amazon died in a ski accident outside Bend, Oregon in the US, on Friday 31 December 2021.
Last month, after completing his fifth leg of the quest an ascent of the 16,050-foot Vinson Massif summit in Antarctica — Birkan wrote that the climb was dedicated to his grandfather, Celal Sirkecioğlu, who passed away in 2021.
Sharing his achievement just two days before his passing on social media he said: “It was a privilege to be the first Turkish Cypriot and Cypriot to be on that summit, and hopefully motivate many of my fellow citizens that with drive, determination, and heart, every goal is possible,” in a Facebook post. “The climb was not easy with extreme cold, gusting winds, and severe back pain due to spine surgery last year, but that’s just the small price you pay to be there. I got the job done, and I’m proud.”
The mountaineering achievement brought praise from the president and prime minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, especially images of Birkan with the TRNC flag on the summit which was celebrated by Turkish Cypriots across the globe.