Yıldız Gürsoy (1974–2016) a Turkish citizen who was fatally wounded while demonstrating civilian resistance in front of the General Staff Headquarters in Ankara during the military coup attempt on 15 July 2016.^【1】

^{Yıldız Gürsoy's Family} (Anadolu Ajansı)

Yıldız Gürsoy was born on 1 January 1974 in the Sarıkaya district of Yozgat. She was one of six siblings in her family; one of her siblings had previously died in a traffic accident.

Approximately 20 years ago, Gürsoy separated from her spouse and lived as a single parent, supporting herself by working as a tea server and laborer at a private company in Ankara. At the time of the events, her son Eray Demir was incarcerated due to a legal case and had approximately one and a half years remaining on his sentence. Family members and acquaintances described Gürsoy as quiet and introverted, spending the majority of her daily life between her family and her work.^【3】

At the onset of the military coup attempt, Yıldız Gürsoy was at her residence in the Altındağ and Mamak districts of Ankara with her mother and siblings, following developments on television channels. Despite her family’s attempts to prevent her from leaving and her mother locking the door, she departed from the home after President Erdoğan’s call for citizens to take to the streets.

It is recorded that before leaving her home, Gürsoy asked her mother for forgiveness. She then went to the General Staff Headquarters, where resistance was intensifying, accompanied by a female coworker from her workplace. According to eyewitness accounts and digital recordings, Gürsoy was positioned among the front lines during the clashes in the area.^【4】

During the military intervention and aerial attacks in front of the General Staff Headquarters, shrapnel fragments from exploding munitions struck the back of Gürsoy’s right ear and the rear of her head. Amid the panic and chaos caused by the explosion, Gürsoy was crushed under the crowd, resulting in severe fractures, particularly to her skeletal system.

Because she was not carrying any identification at the time of the incident, her identity could not be immediately established. She was first taken to Gazi Hospital and then transferred to Ankara Numune Hospital for emergency surgery. Her family struggled to identify her due to severe facial swelling and injuries; identification was only possible through a scar from a previous surgery on her body and a distinctive mole on her forehead.^【5】

After being admitted to the hospital, Yıldız Gürsoy underwent surgery and fought for her life in the intensive care unit for approximately one week. According to medical reports, even if she had survived, she would have lived with permanent shrapnel fragments in her head. Her condition remained critical throughout.

Despite all medical efforts, Yıldız Gürsoy could not be saved and died in the hospital. Her body was transported to her hometown of Tepedoğan village in the Sarıkaya district of Yozgat, where she was buried in an official ceremony.^【6】

^{The Grave of Yıldız Gürsoy} (Anadolu Ajansı)

Following her death, Yıldız Gürsoy’s name was bestowed upon various public institutions and educational centers to honor her memory. In this regard, a Anatolian Imam Hatip High School in Edirne and a Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School in Yozgat were named after her.^【7】