A POPULAR influencer has died in a horror crash alongside her driver after their car smashed into lorry parked in the hard shoulder.
Gizem Ozmen, 24, known for supporting women struggling with trauma, was tragically killed alongside her driver, named as Mehmet Ensar Ozden.
The horrific crash happened near toll booths on the Izmir-Istanbul Highway in Manisa, far-western Turkey.
According to reports, the pair were driving along in a Volkswagen when it careered into a tanker that had stopped in the emergency lane.
Police, ambulance and fire crews all rushed to the scene, but could do nothing to save the pair.
Gizem and Mehmet were sadly both pronounced dead at the side of the road.
The driver of the stationary lorry has been arrested, and the investigation into the cause of the crash continues.
The bodies of the two victims have been returned to their homes for burial – Mehmet to Istanbul and Gizem to the Urla district of Izmir.
The 24-year-old was a phenomenon on TikTok in Turkey, and she was known online as Lavinia Ozmen.
She had 185,000 followers on the platform, and another 27,000 on Instagram.
Gizem gained popularity for her honest videos where she opened up about the struggles she faced in childhood.
She also attracted fans by sharing anonymous stories from her followers talking about their own trauma.
The TikToker would react to these tales – offering advice and encouragement – and referred to herself as “Lavinia, the Voice of Silent Battles”.
The TikTok post that kicked off her viral trajectory was a childhood photo which she captioned “trauma bowl”.
Gizem’s fans are left heartbroken by her death, and many turned to social media to share their grief.
One devastated user wrote: “Rest in peace, you were a very good person, sister”.
Another shared a touching story about how Gizem had supported them.
The user wrote: “I talked to her for a while, we didn’t really know each other, but we became friends on social media. I knew her story, and our stories were almost the same.
“It is very painful and sad after her death. I get emotional whenever I see her videos. Rest in peace.”
A third wrote: “She was so strong, always talked about fighting. She said that no matter what happens, one must fight on in life.
“Maybe that was the reason I liked her out of all the thousands of influencers. So strong, such a warrior, I can’t believe she’s gone.”
