Parents of accidented Hannelore (21) witnesses in ‘The appointment’ about meeting Tom Waes: « We told him that we are not angry with him »
Tom Waes said on Monday evening Vive Le Vélo Feeling huge shame « about the accident in drunken state he had caused in November in November. But how do the relatives of victims of motorists look at the Mea Culpa van Waes under the influence? Bart Schols submitted that question The appointment For Brecht Reyniers and Kris Dekens, who lost their daughter Hannelore in the summer of 2023 by a driver who was under the influence of heroin. At that time, the young woman of 21 years old was on the way of her holiday job home by bike. The driver has since been sentenced to three years of effective imprisonment.
The choice to invite Reyniers and blankets to the studio of The appointment Was deliberately: the two made a trip to the Indonesian island of Lombok, together with their daughter Amber, where they happened to meet Tom Waes last summer. « That was a pleasant meeting. He was very jovial, » said Brecht Reyniers, who also indicated that it was originally intended to make the journey together with Hannelore. Her fatal accident was not discussed during the meeting with Waes. « We don’t tell about that all over and over, » says Kris. The two parents and their daughter also took a picture with Waes together.
‘Pano’
Reyniers and blankets returned home in an episode of the Actuamagazine Pano About alcohol in traffic. The broadcast dates from November last year, two weeks before the Waes accident. « My first reaction to that news was anger and disappointment, » said Kris. « How is that possible, I thought. I had to do something with that. I wanted to write off the anger of me. I wanted to ask him to think about what he had done. The photo we had taken together is not enough for someone because Hannelore died by someone under the influence. »
The parents asked the Pano-Redactie to deliver their letter to Tom Waes, together with the photo in question. « We wanted him to read the letter personally, » said Brecht Reyniers and Kris Dekens The appointment. In response to the letter, the makers made it Pano Also a separate report, which still has to be broadcast.
In a fragment of the report you can already see how Kris reads part of the letter. « Dear Tom Waes, we met you last summer in Lombok, in Indonesia. We had a pleasant conversation with you and your girlfriend, about you and our journey. We didn’t say that we were making the journey that Hannelore had gladly made, » it sounds. « Because someone drove her to death under the influence, she could not experience this journey, and we were very painful, but with us three. What a pity to read that you are also driven when you are under the influence. From now on I will look at this photo with a completely different eye. And luckily, yes, there were no dead this time. We unfortunately know how it feels to lose your own child.”
Not angry
After receiving the letter, Waes contacted Reyniers and blankets to meet. « He came by and has listened to our story, » say the parents. « It was a pleasant conversation. We told him that we are not angry with him, because he has nothing to do with our loss. Then we asked him if he would like it in a positive way to do something with his story. He said yes to that.
Although many relatives of road victims with incomprehension responded to Waes’ return to TV, Reyniers and Dekens had fewer problems with it. « Whether you are for or against, the most important thing is that something changed, » said Reyniers.
« I think it is very important that he tells his story on television. That he comes out and expresses regret, » said Dekens. « A lot of people are looking forward to him. Maybe he is the perfect person to do something with it. We really want to fight for a change in mentality. For more control and stricter punishments, » the parents concluded.
What form the commitment of Tom Waes will take on, it still has to be seen.
