'She lived a short but full life'

Fleur was a cheerful girl who started every day singing and dancing. She loved nature, her hobby horse, and playing with her sister Meike. On an ordinary evening, the unthinkable happened: she was hit by a car and died from her injuries. Her organs subsequently saved five other lives.

A lively girl full of energy

Fleur's mother, Yvonne, remembers her daughter as a child who was full of life the moment she woke up. 'As soon as Fleur woke up in the morning, she was on. She would start singing and doing dressage with her hobby horse.' Her father, Ed, also says with a smile: 'She loved nature and liked being by the water, like at a spot by the Leukermeer.'

That evening, Fleur was playing with her sister Meike on the field in front of their house. When Ed was about to drive away, Fleur ran over to him. 'She wanted to give him one last kiss,' says Yvonne. 'She crossed the road in front of our van and was struck. The driver of the car couldn't do anything about it; she couldn't see Fleur, and Fleur couldn't see the car.' Meike saw the accident happen. 'It was just like a movie. I saw everything in slow motion. Pieces of flying glass and Fleur flying into the air and landing on the ground.'

The severity did not sink in immediately

Immediately after the accident, two cyclists happened to pass by who worked in intensive care. 'They could tell from Fleur's pupils that she had brain damage,' says Yvonne. 'But I thought: she's breathing, that's a good sign.'

A hectic situation followed with a trauma helicopter and ambulance.
'When they told us it was very serious, I still thought: if she can't walk anymore, she'll just do wheelchair dancing,' says Yvonne. 'Even when we heard there was nothing more they could do for Fleur, it didn't sink in because of the shock.'

Fleur had just had a lesson about donation

The subject of organ donation came up quickly, and Ed and Yvonne didn't have to think about it for long. 'When we were 21, an acquaintance was on the waiting list for a transplant, but no heart became available, and she passed away,' says Ed. 'That's when we registered as donors.'

Fleur had also thought about it, Yvonne says. 'A few weeks before Fleur's accident, she had a lesson at school about organ donation. She said she wanted to donate everything, except for her eyes, because she had seen her whole life through them. Strange when you think about what happened shortly after.'

Careful and emotional guidance

The day after the accident was dedicated to examinations. 'We were there for everything and saw that Fleur was no longer responding to anything,' says Ed. 'For us, those horror stories about brain death and donation don't hold up; we saw it with our own eyes.'

Nevertheless, the process was also emotional for the healthcare providers involved. 'The person who assisted us had never experienced a child donating in his 8 years of work,' says Ed. 'He struggled with his emotions.'

The most difficult morning of our lives

Yvonne and Ed were allowed to be with Fleur for one more night. 'The next night, we slept next to Fleur. In all the misery, it was a gift that we had her with us for a little while longer,' says Yvonne. But the next morning arrived. 'At 10 o'clock, she went to the operating room. That was the most difficult moment of my life. But we got Fleur back looking very beautiful, with only a small bandage.'

Later, the real blow came during a visit to the hospital. 'We went to the room where Fleur had been lying. When I saw the clock, I collapsed. I had spent that whole night looking at that clock and counting down, because I didn't want it to become 10 o'clock.'

A hole in our hearts

Life after the loss of Fleur is hard, says Yvonne. ‘Shortly after Fleur’s death, we were mostly just tired. I couldn’t keep up with the pace of life. And even after a long time, it remains difficult. There is a hole in our hearts; it feels like an amputation.’

The grief is in the daily things. ‘Like only doing laundry for three people now. And opening the box of carnival costumes. Very confronting. But we realize that Fleur lived life to the fullest, even if it was short. And all her friends started horseback riding. Everyone thought it was too expensive, just like we did, but it can all be over just like that.’

Daughter Meike says: ‘I asked if Mom and Dad are less afraid of death now, and they said that then they would be with Fleur. They also have less to lose, because their worst nightmare has come true.’

Fleur gave five people a new life

After six weeks, the family received a letter about the transplants. ‘We were incredibly proud of our champion then,’ says Ed. ‘Fleur gave five people a better life with her organs. We received a thank-you letter from one of the recipients. Very moving, beautiful.’