In a heartwarming moment that captured the spirit of community, thousands of people in Istanbul gathered to celebrate the recovery of a three-year-old boy from cancer.
Ali Asaf Demir was diagnosed with leukemia as a baby. After two years of intensive treatment and a successful bone marrow transplant, little Ali finally beat the disease.
Ali’s father had taken to social media to ask locals to join in celebrating his son’s recovery, noting that their family didn’t have a large social circle. Moved by his appeal, residents and the local municipality came together to organize a public gathering.
The celebration culminated in a beautiful moment as thousands released balloons into the sky — a gesture of joy, hope, and shared humanity in honor of Ali’s journey.