• 29-year-old Ridvan Celik has dwarfism.
• He is also a volunteer rescuer in Turkey, helping victims trapped in rubbles from the recent earthquake that killed over 100 people.
• According to Ridvan, his small size allows him to access places that may have been hard to reach for other rescuers.
• He said he “did not hesitate” to lend a helping hand, in the hopes of saving people.

A man with dwarfism has recently made headlines in Turkey after signing up to be a volunteer rescuer, following the 6.6 magnitude earthquake that hit the country last week. 29-year-old Ridvan Celik has gained fame as a hero after using his small size to his advantage in helping victims of the destructive tremor.

Ridvan, who stands at 36 inches 3 feet), has since been rescuing people trapped in the wreckage in Izmir, the worst-hit city in the country. Fortunately, his height allows him to enter tight spaces and crawl into small holes – most of which could have otherwise been inaccessible for other rescuers.

In an interview with the Yeni Safak newspaper, Ridvan shared:

“When I heard about the earthquake in Istanbul, I bought my own ticket and came to Izmir. We met our teammates here. I think about the children and parents who might be under the rubble with my memories and experiences of the 1999 earthquake.”

“I jumped on the task, thinking that it could be me or my loved ones under that rubble. I did not hesitate,” he likewise pointed out.

Needless to say, Ridvan has become an inspiration to many netizens, not only in Turkey but across the world.

According to recent reports, the earthquake claimed 116 lives in Turkey. Rescue efforts are ongoing as many are still missing. However, things are becoming more challenging for the volunteers because of the dropping temperatures.

Watch this video to learn more about Ridvan Celik: