Kenan Sofuoglu Racing On Despite Personal Issues
Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) is competing at the Imola Round of the WSS Championship against the backdrop of a sudden illness that overcame his seven-week old baby son Hamza recently.
To clarify the situation and to request that privacy for himself and his family is respected about this issue, Kenan has made the following comments.
“Last Saturday, during the night, my new son Hamza became ill and we took him to hospital. They found out that he had a problem with bleeding in his brain and his heart stopped for a while. The doctors worked hard with him and because his situation was so critical we took him to hospital in Istanbul. The doctors did not give him much chance but he had an operation on Tuesday morning. After the operation he started to move his fingers and started to react with his arm. He is still on a machine to help his breathing and his general condition is still critical but we believe he is improving. My plan was not to be at this race but after the operation I saw that he is really fighting to survive. I got so much support from the President of Turkey and from others in Turkey to help my son after he took ill, and when I saw my son was fighting so hard to survive, I thought I should not give up in my job. The situation is not good, being here is very difficult and I am living beside my phone. My wife and my wife’s father felt I should come here and every hour they call me with an update. This weekend everyone has been asking me about Hamza like usual, because they did not know he was ill, so this why I am giving this detailed comment. It is a difficult situation but I have come here to fight for the championship.”
Steve Guttridge, Kawasaki Racing Manager: “The racing calendar makes no allowance for personal issues and this weekend’s event comes at a particularly difficult time for Kenan and his family. At Kenan’s request we have made his comments public now to explain his current situation and we would ask that his privacy be respected at this sensitive time.”