Osman Yıldırım uses nose to operate smartphone despite physical disability

Osman Yıldırım, a 23-year-old resident of the Hekimhan district in Malatya, Turkey, has achieved digital independence despite living with a 95 percent physical disability. Due to oxygen deprivation during birth, Yıldırım is unable to use his hands, but he has learned to operate a smartphone using only his nose.

Since approximately the age of six, Yıldırım has used this method to manage his daily life. He utilizes his phone to pay bills through internet banking, send messages, write poetry, and create content for social media. Although he never attended formal school, his mother, Şengül Yıldırım, noted that he taught himself to read, write, and draw through his use of technology.

His family, including his father Ali Yıldırım, has supported his efforts to maintain autonomy. The family previously sought medical treatment in Istanbul, Adana, and Balcalı to manage the complications resulting from his birth.