According to an article in The Dodo, Mehmet’s son, Ali, said that the bond of love and loyalty between Cesur and his father, 79, was so strong, that the little dog even sensed when his master was dying.
“Because of my father’s paralysis, they had a different kind of connection. When my father was in the hospital during his last days, Cesur stopped eating,” Ali told The Dodo.
When Mehmet’s body was brought home, Cesur stood rooted to the spot, keeping a watchful eye over his lifeless body. When a procession of mourners made their way to the mosque for Mehmet’s funeral, Cesur led the way, and stood guard by the man’s coffin, with his head hanging down sadly as the funeral ceremony took place.
“Nobody could touch him until my father was taken to the grave and was buried,” said Ali, adding that the dog watched the entire process until Mehmet was laid in the ground.
Cesur now travels through the town every single day to visit his master’s grave, where he perches on the mound of sand covering the coffin.
Ali told The Dodo, that he noticed Cesur would bolt from the house every morning. One day however, instead of going to work, Ali followed the little dog and realised he was visiting his father’s grave.
“The people who work in the cemetery say the first thing he (Cesur) does in the morning is visit the grave of my father,” said Ali.
The Dodo said it was unclear how long Cesur would continue making his daily pilgrimage to Mehmet’s grave but that the dog, who Ali described as “a noble animal” would live with him for the rest of his life.
Cesur’s tale is similar to that of Hachiko of Japan, an Akita, who belonged to a professor at the University of Tokyo. Hachiko was a loyal companion to his master and would travel to the Shibuya Station every day to meet him. However one day in 1925, his master never returned, having died from a brain haemorrhage. For over nine years, Hachiko travelled to the station every day and waited for his master in vain. The dog’s determination and undying love made local and international news.
Years after Hachiko’s death, a Hollywood movie was made starring Richard Gere, and based on the sad tale. On Feb 11, 2015 however, a statue of Hachiko and his master, finally reunited, was erected immortalising their phenomenal bond.