Ayhan Boğa and his wife were in regional Queensland when two devastating earthquakes struck Türkiye last week.
But they experienced the horror in real-time.
The Turkish-born Hervey Bay resident was on the phone with his sister-in-law as the second earthquake rocked her home on February 6.
"There was screaming around, people crying," he said.
"We told them to get out of the place, and we were still live [on the phone] when they were evacuating the building. It's such a horrible feeling."
"Can you imagine how they felt? It must have been really scary."
The other members of Mr Boğa's family, who live two hours east of the epicentre, also had to flee collapsing buildings and are now among the millions left homeless.
"My sister said the building right next to them is rubble now — it's zero, nothing left," he said.
"It's beyond imagination. We still call them about twice or three times a day, every day, since the earthquake happened.
"They found shelter through friends … nine people live in a two-bedroom place with only one shower and one toilet. They're sharing everything and sleeping on the floor."
South-east Queensland's Maryborough community, three hours north of Brisbane, held a candle-light vigil on Sunday to show their support for Mr Boğa and other impacted families.
A minute of silence was held at the town's Gallipoli and Armistice memorial in honour of the more than 33,000 people killed in the earthquake.
Long-time Maryborough resident Emet Çoban said the regional town shares a special relationship with the Turkish community.
The vigil was held at Maryborough's Mustafa Kemal Atatürk sculpture, which celebrates the life of modern Türkiye's first leader.
Speaking alongside ANZAC veterans and the candle-lit bust of Atatürk, Fraser Coast Council Mayor George Seymour expressed his condolences for earthquake victims.
"The two guiding identities of Australia and Türkiye were really formed at Gallipoli, and through that conflict we have eventually formed a very, very friendly respectful relationship which I think is a real model for the world," he said.
Local 14-year-old trumpeter Kingston Scanes played the Australian and Turkish national anthems at the ceremony.
Mr Scanes said he had only learned the Turkish anthem three days ago.
"I really enjoyed learning it. It's a very proud anthem and I was happy to play it," he said.
Ms Çoban, who was moved to tears by his performance, sang along to the anthem.
"Oh, my heart was pumping, like I thought I was going to have a heart attack. I was overwhelmed," she said.
"It made me feel like I'm not alone. I've got lots of families and support here."
Mr Boğa was also honoured by the tribute.
"I had goosebumps, I really did, because it's not often you hear a young Australian kid play the Turkish national anthem so perfectly well," he said.
