AYDIN, Turkey 

Employees of a hotel in southwestern Turkey were surprised when a British tourist whom they had served for years did not forget them before his death. 

Charles George Courtney, who stayed at the hotel in Kusadasi district in Aydin province every year while on vacation since 1997, established close friendships with the hotel staff.

Courtney received treatment at a hospital in Izmir province after falling ill in 2014.

Hotel employee Taskin Dastan and his colleagues visited him in the hospital.

After Courtney passed away the same year, Dastan and his 10 friends received a letter from the UK in 2017. They became emotional when they saw that Courtney had sent them money.

Dastan told Anadolu Agency that his friendship with Courtney, who stayed at the hotel twice a year, began in 1997.

Noting that he could not forget the conversation they had at the hospital, Dastan said: “He was very witty and kind. He told us that he wanted to give us financial aid for the education of our children. I didn't take it too seriously until I received the letter sent from the consulate. He left a small amount of help also to a friend of mine who works at the hotel."

Courtney allocated nearly 50,000 Turkish liras ($6,030) to Dastan from his inheritance.

The room where Courtney had regularly stayed every year was named "Charles" by the hotel management after his death.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz