In a story as bizarre as it is oddly heartwarming, a Turkish man nicknamed the “Suicide Traveler” abandoned what would have been his 232nd suicide attempt, all thanks to a shawarma.
The 33-year-old man, whose real name hasn’t been disclosed, scaled the rooftop of a five-story building in Manavgat, Antalya, equipped with a knife, a noose, and a plastic bottle of gasoline. The scene quickly drew crowds and emergency responders, who were all too familiar with the man’s repeated cries for help.
But as tense negotiations unfolded, a very human detail emerged, he was simply starving.
“Are you hungry?” one officer reportedly asked.
The man nodded, and without missing a beat, responders placed an order for a döner kebab, Turkey’s beloved version of shawarma. That warm, meaty bundle of comfort arrived shortly after, and to everyone’s amazement, it did what countless therapy sessions, interventions, and rooftop standoffs had failed to do: he climbed down.
Locals have dubbed him the “Suicide Traveler” due to his history of similar incidents in cities across Turkey. While mental health professionals continue to push for proper treatment, many hope this unusual encounter will mark a turning point or at least keep him grounded long enough to enjoy more döner.
As one officer put it, “Sometimes, it’s not just about talking someone down. Sometimes, it’s about feeding the soul and the stomach.”
