A man who helped save residents from a burning building in Jasper Avenue last January is now in need of help.
Riza Kasikcioglu, the man who banged on doors and carried a woman out of a high-rise on fire, recently underwent brain surgery to remove a benign tumour.
His restaurant, Maximo’s Pizza and Donair, has been closed since he had surgery, and his recovery is expected to take up to six months.
Sim Senol, who Kasikcioglu met at the Turkish Canadian Society of Edmonton, created a GoFundMe in an attempt to raise $20,000 to keep the business afloat.
“A lot of people who don’t know Riza have been donating,” Senol said. “I’ve been receiving emails from people about how they can help.”
The restaurant was already under financial hardship before Kasikcioglu's diagnosis, but Senol hopes the community’s support is enough to keep it open.
Kasikcioglu has wanted to change the name of the restaurant to Heroes, a nod to the people he admires -- but also a term that could be used to describe him.
“Running into the fire and not thinking about himself, that selfless act wasn’t a one-time act,” Senol said. “He’s that kind of person.”
With files from Nicole Weisberg
