Foreword
Every person has a story.
But some stories are deeper, more complex, and more unforgettable than others.
BabaYaro: A Journey of Hope is one of those stories.
This book tells the true-life story of a man who was forced to confront life’s hardships, who refused to lose hope despite everything, and who struggled to make a new beginning.
It was the year 2010.
I was running a small guesthouse. Then, suddenly, my life was turned upside down. Tax debts, bankruptcy, and ultimately the threat of imprisonment stood before me.
The desperation I found myself in forced me to leave the land where I was born and set out on a journey into the unknown.
I carried with me nothing but hope and the will to survive.
My first stop was Macedonia. In Skopje, Vanço—someone I knew not just as a friend but as a brother—opened his doors to me and took care of me like family. With his help, I built new friendships among the narrow streets of Skopje, its lively bars, and its warm, hospitable people.
But this was only the beginning.
I entered many countries through illegal routes.
In each one, I faced different adventures and hardships.
Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, and finally Greece.
Every country left deep marks on my life and taught me something new.
This book is not only my story.
It is also the story of everyone who pushes boundaries, overcomes obstacles, and refuses to give up on life despite everything.
An illegal journey.
Memories filled with adventure.
And a story of rebirth.
I believe that readers will find themselves within these pages and embark on this journey together with me.
I hope that what you find here is not only a story of migration, but also the strength of the human spirit, the importance of friendship and solidarity, and the truth that hope always finds a way out.
As you read this book, I take pride in sharing with you the turning points of my life and the deep emotions I experienced.
Thank you for joining me on my journey.
Enjoy reading.
Hakan Işık
Every story is born from a reason.
Mine was neither a great love nor a childhood dream.
My story began with an escape.
A tax debt.
A burden pressing down on my back like a hunch.
The shadow of years that would be spent behind bars.
Either I would stay and go to prison, or I would run and be reborn.
That day, as I walked through Istanbul Airport holding a one-way ticket, I had neither a plan nor real hope.
Just a backpack, a little money, and most importantly, the last spark of an exhausted man.
Inside me was a scream that refused to be silenced forever.
Life never showed me its easy side.
No family standing behind me.
No friend saying, “Don’t worry, you’re not alone.”
But I learned one thing:
A person begins to find himself only after losing everything.
This book is not merely the story of a journey between countries.
It is the struggle of a man to be reborn before dying.
I was stranded on roads.
I greeted mornings on the streets.
At times, I was hungry.
At times, I was betrayed by those I called friends.
But still, I did not give up.
Because I knew this:
A person does not become free by running away, but by resisting.
If you are reading these lines, perhaps you too are searching for a way out.
Perhaps life has cornered you as well.
Then this journey is not only my story, but ours.
And I promise you—within these pages, you will find your own courage, too.
If you’re ready, let’s begin.
I have already taken off.
Now it’s your turn.
