1:       00:02:57:00 00:03:00:18 03:18

travelling together

together for ever

 

2:       00:03:13:23 00:03:15:15 01:17

What is this?

 

3:       00:03:16:20 00:03:19:21 03:01

This is Erik's remembrance cabinet.

 

4:       00:03:19:24 00:03:26:12 06:13

Here are all the things

that were, or are, Erik's. And...

 

5:       00:03:27:13 00:03:31:10 03:22

There's Erik's birth announcement card.

He was our first.

 

6:       00:03:31:13 00:03:34:12 02:24

We were overjoyed, obviously.

 

7:       00:03:34:15 00:03:37:12 02:22

A beautiful birth announcement card.

 

8:       00:03:37:15 00:03:40:08 02:18

Also a little jar with milk teeth.

 

9:       00:03:40:11 00:03:43:21 03:10

Little wooden shoes

his grandpa gave him.

 

10:      00:03:43:24 00:03:48:09 04:10

Erik worked for the police.

He was training to be a policeman.

 

11:      00:03:48:12 00:03:52:12 04:00

So there's his hat, his nameplate

and his insignia.

 

12:      00:03:55:19 00:03:58:10 02:16

Well, in these drawers...

 

13:      00:04:00:00 00:04:02:08 02:08

...are all kinds of things...

 

14:      00:04:04:05 00:04:08:03 03:23

...that were found on the scene...

 

15:      00:04:08:06 00:04:10:06 02:00

...of the crash.

 

16:      00:04:10:09 00:04:12:24 02:15

So this is Erik's passport.

 

17:      00:04:14:01 00:04:16:02 02:01

They managed to find that.

 

18:      00:04:16:05 00:04:19:18 03:13

His wallet. Empty, unfortunately.

 

19:      00:04:19:21 00:04:22:16 02:20

Bank cards, his driver's license.

 

20:      00:04:22:19 00:04:27:07 04:13

All intact. That's really remarkable.

 

21:      00:04:27:10 00:04:31:09 03:24

However bizarre it may be,

it's a wonderful thing...

 

22:      00:04:31:12 00:04:34:23 03:11

...to have something of Erik's

back with us.

 

23:      00:04:40:01 00:04:42:13 02:12

Toos and Dammes van der Poel.

 

24:      00:04:42:16 00:04:47:03 04:12

They've been living in the Dutch village

of Oud Ade for years.

 

25:      00:04:47:06 00:04:52:00 04:19

Dammes since birth and

Toos since the day she married Dammes.

 

26:      00:04:52:23 00:04:58:00 05:02

How did you get on with your painting?

- There are some bad spots there.

 

27:      00:05:00:01 00:05:02:16 02:15

They have four children.

 

28:      00:05:03:19 00:05:09:08 05:14

Erik just moved to nearby Rijpwetering

with Truike Heemskerk, his true love.

 

29:      00:05:11:14 00:05:15:03 03:14

Erik was a lively little man.

 

30:      00:05:16:05 00:05:19:09 03:04

Plucky, even as a little boy.

 

31:      00:05:21:07 00:05:22:22 01:15

And that never changed.

 

32:      00:05:23:00 00:05:28:15 05:15

Erik was a beautiful human being.

 

33:      00:05:29:11 00:05:30:24 01:13

Positive.

 

34:      00:05:31:02 00:05:36:00 04:23

But when he wasn't really

interested in something...

 

35:      00:05:36:03 00:05:39:24 03:21

...he had a hard time applying himself.

 

36:      00:05:40:02 00:05:45:13 05:11

Fun came before obligations.

He was like that.

 

37:      00:05:45:16 00:05:48:01 02:10

So at some point he met Truike.

 

38:      00:05:48:04 00:05:54:14 06:10

We were very pleased with her. Truike

was a calm, sweet girl. But firm as well.

 

39:      00:05:54:17 00:05:57:01 02:09

A pretty girl.

 

40:      00:05:57:04 00:05:59:16 02:12

She enjoyed Erik's eccentricities.

 

41:      00:05:59:19 00:06:03:16 03:22

But I think she was able

to correct him as well.

 

42:      00:06:03:19 00:06:08:03 04:09

Which is what Erik needed.

She stood up to him.

 

43:      00:06:08:06 00:06:09:21 01:15

A lovely couple.

 

44:      00:06:09:24 00:06:14:22 04:23

Two very different personalities,

but crazy about each other.

 

45:      00:06:18:12 00:06:19:24 01:12

gloomsday

 

46:      00:06:21:02 00:06:23:06 02:04

it is summer

 

47:      00:06:23:09 00:06:27:00 03:16

the sun is beaming in a clear blue sky

 

48:      00:06:28:01 00:06:31:17 03:16

a leaf is floating in the pond

 

49:      00:06:31:20 00:06:34:05 02:10

children are cheering

vacation

 

50:      00:06:34:08 00:06:36:22 02:14

the school door closed for now

 

51:      00:06:37:00 00:06:38:20 01:20

laughing

exuberant

 

52:      00:06:39:22 00:06:42:03 02:06

cheerfulness everywhere

 

53:      00:06:43:12 00:06:48:08 04:21

I'd left work a little early.

Five o'clock maybe, quarter to five.

 

54:      00:06:48:11 00:06:51:16 03:05

Toos' birthday was coming up on the 18th.

 

55:      00:06:51:19 00:06:55:17 03:23

I'd told her I would pick up

a few cakes from the shop.

 

56:      00:06:55:20 00:06:59:19 03:24

For her birthday. And I was

on the A5, halfway home.

 

57:      00:07:00:19 00:07:04:00 03:06

I had the radio on, the Tour de France.

 

58:      00:07:04:03 00:07:09:16 05:13

The program was interrupted

by some breaking news.

 

59:      00:07:09:19 00:07:12:08 02:14

According to Russian

news agency Interfax...

 

60:      00:07:12:11 00:07:18:03 05:17

...an airliner has crashed

near the Russian-Ukrainian border.

 

61:      00:07:25:08 00:07:28:06 02:23

That didn't trigger anything for me.

 

62:      00:07:28:09 00:07:34:06 05:22

It had left Schiphol around noon.

Suddenly I was like: It can't be.

 

63:      00:07:34:09 00:07:36:20 02:11

That thought came very quickly.

 

64:      00:07:36:23 00:07:39:24 03:01

It'd been en route to Kuala Lumpur.

 

65:      00:07:41:15 00:07:44:06 02:16

And then I knew. I just knew.

 

66:      00:07:44:09 00:07:48:04 03:20

As if someone dropped a stone

on my head, or even worse.

 

67:      00:07:48:07 00:07:52:13 04:06

My heartbeat shot up to well over 150.

 

68:      00:07:52:16 00:07:56:01 03:10

The adrenaline kicked in,

I stepped on the gas.

 

69:      00:07:56:04 00:07:57:21 01:17

I wanted to go home, to Toos.

 

70:      00:07:57:24 00:08:01:10 03:11

He didn't feel good about it.

 

71:      00:08:01:13 00:08:06:03 04:15

What time did they leave,

things like that.

 

72:      00:08:06:06 00:08:10:00 03:19

They didn't take off around that time,

did they?

 

73:      00:08:10:03 00:08:14:15 04:12

You try to tell yourself

it was a different time or whatever.

 

74:      00:08:15:18 00:08:20:16 04:23

Reportedly there were 280 passengers

and 15 crewmembers.

 

75:      00:08:20:19 00:08:23:10 02:16

So almost 300 people.

 

76:      00:08:23:13 00:08:27:02 03:14

More and more reports started to come in.

 

77:      00:08:27:05 00:08:30:12 03:07

We were calling and asking around...

 

78:      00:08:30:15 00:08:34:10 03:20

...whether it might actually

have been their plane.

 

79:      00:08:34:13 00:08:37:13 03:00

In the middle of the night

Thomas woke me up.

 

80:      00:08:37:16 00:08:41:11 03:20

My son.

 

81:      00:08:41:14 00:08:45:03 03:14

He told me a list had been released...

 

82:      00:08:45:06 00:08:47:11 02:05

...and they were on that list.

 

83:      00:08:48:21 00:08:50:21 02:00

Really weird.

 

84:      00:08:52:07 00:08:53:18 01:11

Yeah.

 

85:      00:09:10:21 00:09:13:04 02:08

It was surreal.

 

86:      00:09:13:07 00:09:17:11 04:04

Oud Ade is a small village.

Around 700 people live there.

 

87:      00:09:17:14 00:09:19:05 01:16

A tiny community.

 

88:      00:09:19:08 00:09:24:14 05:06

And Erik and Truike were

well-known figures in Oud Ade.

 

89:      00:09:25:07 00:09:29:03 03:21

The entire village was deeply saddened.

 

90:      00:09:30:00 00:09:33:10 03:10

We're gathered together in the name

of the Father, the Son...

 

91:      00:09:33:13 00:09:35:15 02:02

...and the Holy Ghost, amen.

 

92:      00:09:35:18 00:09:39:05 03:12

It's an overwhelming blow to the village...

 

93:      00:09:39:08 00:09:42:09 03:01

...realizes deacon André van Aarle.

 

94:      00:09:42:12 00:09:45:16 03:04

Right away he opens the church door.

 

95:      00:09:45:19 00:09:48:21 03:02

The church radiates something like:

 

96:      00:09:48:24 00:09:53:09 04:10

Put your life aside for a moment,

come on in with your tears.

 

97:      00:09:54:12 00:09:59:14 05:02

Through all kinds of channels

we got a beautiful, big photograph...

 

98:      00:09:59:17 00:10:01:11 01:19

...of Truike and Erik.

 

99:      00:10:01:14 00:10:06:23 05:09

We put it up in the church and then

everything just evolved from there.

 

100:     00:10:07:01 00:10:09:22 02:21

And you saw a village coming together.

 

101:     00:10:10:00 00:10:13:24 03:24

People walked into church

whenever they needed to.

 

102:     00:10:14:02 00:10:18:07 04:05

A place to cry, to just come

and sit in the pews.

 

103:     00:10:19:09 00:10:26:03 06:19

At that point it was the grieving,

beating heart of the village.

 

104:     00:10:26:06 00:10:30:14 04:08

Love is the foundation of our existence.

 

105:     00:10:30:17 00:10:34:24 04:07

We were shown this love...

 

106:     00:10:35:02 00:10:38:22 03:20

...five years ago, here in Oud Ade.

 

107:     00:10:39:00 00:10:43:00 04:00

When the MH17 crash had just happened.

 

108:     00:10:59:21 00:11:03:05 03:09

I think this team has been here

for over ten years now.

 

109:     00:11:03:08 00:11:07:06 03:23

It's fun. It's a very close-knit

group of friends.

 

110:     00:11:09:20 00:11:13:22 04:02

Our parents sat us next to each other

as babies, went to the same school.

 

111:     00:11:14:00 00:11:17:09 03:09

Grew apart a little in college

and in our jobs.

 

112:     00:11:17:12 00:11:19:20 02:08

But it's still the same group.

 

113:     00:11:19:23 00:11:24:03 04:05

In such a small community

you come to depend on each other.

 

114:     00:11:24:06 00:11:26:11 02:05

That's not always a bad thing.

 

115:     00:11:28:03 00:11:32:00 03:22

Erik's friends still team up

to play every weekend.

 

116:     00:11:32:03 00:11:34:13 02:10

The team calls itself The Heroes.

 

117:     00:11:34:16 00:11:38:03 03:12

Though as a player,

Erik was more of an antihero.

 

118:     00:11:39:03 00:11:41:21 02:18

He jokingly posed as a star.

 

119:     00:11:41:24 00:11:47:02 05:03

He wore the number 10 and the ugliest

coloured shoes, but he was bad at it.

 

120:     00:11:47:05 00:11:50:06 03:01

Missed opportunities, rubbish shots.

 

121:     00:11:51:22 00:11:58:12 06:15

It was like in the famous peanut butter ad:

Getting better, let's switch now, Pietertje.

 

122:     00:11:58:15 00:12:01:16 03:01

That's what we called him:

Erik Pietertje van der Poel.

 

123:     00:12:01:19 00:12:05:04 03:10

As a testament to his soccer skills.

 

124:     00:12:10:14 00:12:15:03 04:14

Locker room antics, different story.

He was the go-to guy for that.

 

125:     00:12:15:06 00:12:18:08 03:02

That's still the thing we miss most.

 

126:     00:12:18:11 00:12:21:20 03:09

The guy who used to stir things up

is gone.

 

127:     00:12:33:09 00:12:38:05 04:21

As the first team's attendant

Truike was involved in club life too.

 

128:     00:12:38:08 00:12:42:17 04:09

After the crash their friends

kept in touch on the group chat.

 

129:     00:12:42:20 00:12:46:15 03:20

Breaking news on the radio:

Plane crash, Dutch passengers.

 

130:     00:12:46:18 00:12:51:13 04:20

The group chat exploded: Wasn't that

the one Erik and Truike were on?

 

131:     00:12:52:21 00:12:54:13 01:17

Just a moment.

 

132:     00:12:56:06 00:13:00:22 04:16

Even talking about it now is hard,

no matter how long ago it is.

 

133:     00:13:02:04 00:13:05:17 03:13

The group text exploded.

We got together that night...

 

134:     00:13:05:20 00:13:09:09 03:14

...to support each other and by and by...

 

135:     00:13:09:12 00:13:12:12 03:00

...you see your worst nightmare

come true.

 

136:     00:13:13:18 00:13:20:03 06:10

To me it was unreal. Really tragic.

 

137:     00:13:27:02 00:13:32:07 05:05

People want to give it some meaning.

How could this have happened?

 

138:     00:13:32:10 00:13:36:13 04:03

Where can I find an answer

to that question?

 

139:     00:13:38:11 00:13:42:11 04:00

So ROAC decided to open up

the club house.

 

140:     00:13:42:14 00:13:49:09 06:20

To give members, especially those

directly involved, the teams involved...

 

141:     00:13:49:12 00:13:52:05 02:18

...the opportunity to get together.

 

142:     00:13:56:14 00:14:00:11 03:22

People call ROAC the village square

of Oud Ade and Rijpwetering.

 

143:     00:14:00:14 00:14:04:23 04:09

Makes sense.

The club house attracts people.

 

144:     00:14:05:01 00:14:10:03 05:02

Playing sports here, they find

each other and talk about things.

 

145:     00:14:10:18 00:14:16:00 05:07

It helps people get to grips

with something like this.

 

146:     00:14:16:03 00:14:19:09 03:06

can I come to you?

 

147:     00:14:19:12 00:14:23:22 04:10

can I come and find shelter with you

 

148:     00:14:24:00 00:14:28:18 04:18

when I can't find it anywhere else

 

149:     00:14:28:21 00:14:32:12 03:16

and when I need to cry

 

150:     00:14:32:15 00:14:35:23 03:08

will you dry my tears?

 

151:     00:14:36:01 00:14:38:14 02:13

What makes a small village great...

 

152:     00:14:38:17 00:14:44:23 06:06

...is that it seems like two giant arms

embrace it, so to speak.

 

153:     00:14:45:01 00:14:49:06 04:05

Those arms keep the people together...

 

154:     00:14:49:09 00:14:54:00 04:16

...but you see them really

being there for each other as well.

 

155:     00:15:04:12 00:15:09:06 04:19

I'm a little nervous.

I'm curious to see it all again.

 

156:     00:15:13:17 00:15:18:23 05:06

After a brief ceremony the planes took off

from the Ukranian town of Garkov.

 

157:     00:15:19:01 00:15:25:10 06:09

On board are the first 40

of the 298 coffins.

 

158:     00:15:30:12 00:15:33:17 03:05

A brief ceremony has been prepared.

 

159:     00:15:33:20 00:15:36:02 02:07

There will be no speeches.

 

160:     00:15:42:19 00:15:47:09 04:15

It feels very different.

- But it does look familiar.

 

161:     00:15:50:22 00:15:53:01 02:04

That loud noise again.

 

162:     00:15:59:15 00:16:01:05 01:15

Very unusual.

 

163:     00:16:01:08 00:16:06:05 04:22

Remember we were given those earplugs

in that hangar over there.

 

164:     00:16:06:08 00:16:08:05 01:22

For the noise.

- The noise, yes.

 

165:     00:16:08:08 00:16:12:10 04:02

And we were like: No, we want to...

- We want to feel it.

 

166:     00:16:12:13 00:16:16:16 04:03

Yes. We want to hear it coming.

 

167:     00:16:16:19 00:16:20:08 03:14

This noise, but up close.

- Right.

 

168:     00:16:33:02 00:16:38:12 05:10

Everything was deathly quiet.

Just the rattling of the flagpoles.

 

169:     00:16:39:09 00:16:42:14 03:05

Hardly a word was spoken.

Little was said.

 

170:     00:16:43:19 00:16:46:15 02:21

It was all very impressive.

 

171:     00:16:52:10 00:16:57:02 04:17

Yes, it was very impressive.

It was all so dignified.

 

172:     00:17:00:05 00:17:02:09 02:04

We'll never forget that.

 

173:     00:17:22:24 00:17:26:05 03:06

Everyone wanted to come forward,

remember?

 

174:     00:17:26:08 00:17:30:10 04:02

At first most people were seated.

There were chairs.

 

175:     00:17:30:13 00:17:34:17 04:04

And when the coffins came out,

people wanted to approach.

 

176:     00:17:37:08 00:17:41:09 04:01

Almost to touch them.

Which we couldn't do, of course.

 

177:     00:17:41:12 00:17:44:20 03:08

There they were, finally.

- There they were.

 

178:     00:17:47:14 00:17:52:17 05:03

You feel such a desire... How can I put it?

You're so anxious for that moment.

 

179:     00:17:52:20 00:17:56:07 03:12

You just want to hear, see and feel

everything.

 

180:     00:17:56:10 00:18:01:09 04:24

And you couldn't even be sure

they were among those first few.

 

181:     00:18:03:04 00:18:05:03 01:24

You want to get them home.

 

182:     00:18:05:06 00:18:08:12 03:06

So when that plane touches down...

 

183:     00:18:08:15 00:18:11:16 03:01

...they are back home.

 

184:     00:18:13:14 00:18:18:02 04:13

And you want to be there for it.

- Right, that's it.

 

185:     00:18:18:05 00:18:21:04 02:24

I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

 

186:     00:18:29:20 00:18:32:07 02:12

Want to walk on?

- Yes.

 

187:     00:18:45:05 00:18:48:17 03:12

Look, there's that Hercules.

That's the plane.

 

188:     00:18:50:02 00:18:53:00 02:23

It is. One of the two.

- Really?

 

189:     00:18:53:03 00:18:56:11 03:08

How can you tell?

- I just know those planes.

 

190:     00:19:09:08 00:19:12:02 02:19

So many coffins came out.

 

191:     00:19:13:10 00:19:17:01 03:16

You can't even imagine.

- No, you can't.

 

192:     00:19:17:04 00:19:22:03 04:24

You went inside the plane,

didn't you? Why?

 

193:     00:19:22:06 00:19:27:22 05:16

The most important thing for us was,

we wanted to thank the crew.

 

194:     00:19:28:00 00:19:32:06 04:06

For the work they did

under difficult circumstances.

 

195:     00:19:32:09 00:19:34:23 02:14

And not without danger either.

 

196:     00:19:36:00 00:19:38:14 02:14

Nice that we get to see this again.

 

197:     00:19:39:15 00:19:43:15 04:00

Just to say thanks

for bringing our children home.

 

198:     00:19:43:18 00:19:48:00 04:07

And all they could say was:

You're welcome.

 

199:     00:19:48:03 00:19:55:01 06:23

And Lidy, Truike's mother,

told one of the crew members:

 

200:     00:19:55:04 00:19:58:24 03:20

I am so glad

you brought our children home.

 

201:     00:19:59:02 00:20:01:06 02:04

I could just kiss you.

 

202:     00:20:01:09 00:20:05:08 03:24

And that serviceman stood there

and just went...

 

203:     00:20:06:21 00:20:08:16 01:20

You know?

 

204:     00:20:45:20 00:20:50:02 04:07

It's still an open wound,

everything that happened.

 

205:     00:20:50:05 00:20:52:03 01:23

I'm off.

- Fine.

 

206:     00:20:53:01 00:20:57:12 04:11

Councilman Floris Schoonderwoerd

has lived in Oud Ade since childhood.

 

207:     00:20:57:15 00:21:00:22 03:07

A stone's throw from Toos and Dammes.

 

208:     00:21:01:00 00:21:03:22 02:22

Floris is a friend of Erik and Truike.

 

209:     00:21:05:05 00:21:10:11 05:06

The MH17 crash

and the loss of Erik and Truike...

 

210:     00:21:10:14 00:21:13:08 02:19

...is in everybody's lives

as much as 5 years ago.

 

211:     00:21:13:11 00:21:16:16 03:05

It's still hard to take.

 

212:     00:21:16:19 00:21:20:02 03:08

Welcome in Café Het Lage Land.

 

213:     00:21:20:05 00:21:26:06 06:01

We bought it a few years ago

and came up with a plan for it.

 

214:     00:21:26:09 00:21:28:12 02:03

This gives you a better idea.

 

215:     00:21:28:15 00:21:31:09 02:19

How many flats will there be?

- Ten.

 

216:     00:21:31:12 00:21:35:00 03:13

Floris attends a meeting

about a new development.

 

217:     00:21:35:03 00:21:39:24 04:21

For life goes on. It has to.

No matter how inconceivable it may be.

 

218:     00:21:40:02 00:21:42:20 02:18

It's a catastrophe on a global scale.

 

219:     00:21:42:23 00:21:46:16 03:18

And even today

we still don't have many answers.

 

220:     00:21:46:19 00:21:50:06 03:12

If people get in an accident or fall ill,

there's a narrative.

 

221:     00:21:50:09 00:21:53:19 03:10

You understand where they went

or what happened.

 

222:     00:21:53:22 00:21:59:12 05:15

I think that's why nobody

has any closure in this case.

 

223:     00:21:59:15 00:22:02:05 02:15

That's very hard.

 

224:     00:22:02:08 00:22:06:06 03:23

People in Oud Ade felt powerless

from day one.

 

225:     00:22:07:06 00:22:11:14 04:08

Flags at half-mast all around,

and they stayed there for weeks.

 

226:     00:22:11:17 00:22:16:21 05:04

So when you came into the village,

it just exuded grief.

 

227:     00:22:20:13 00:22:23:19 03:06

Yes, the entire village was in mourning.

 

228:     00:22:25:20 00:22:30:19 04:24

There was this vacuum,

a kind of icy silence...

 

229:     00:22:30:22 00:22:33:05 02:08

...in which the pain was tangible.

 

230:     00:22:36:18 00:22:40:10 03:17

The world has come to a halt.

 

231:     00:22:41:10 00:22:46:01 04:16

War has come into Oud Ade.

 

232:     00:22:47:05 00:22:53:02 05:22

It had to do with a war,

a conflict elsewhere in Europe.

 

233:     00:22:53:05 00:22:57:18 04:13

But I remember,

and I repeated that line twice...

 

234:     00:22:57:21 00:23:00:16 02:20

...in the various services

I had to conduct...

 

235:     00:23:00:19 00:23:05:03 04:09

...what Dammes van der Poel,

Erik's father, said:

 

236:     00:23:05:06 00:23:08:08 03:02

War has come into Oud Ade now.

 

237:     00:23:09:08 00:23:11:15 02:07

And that's how it felt.

 

238:     00:23:11:18 00:23:17:22 06:04

Suddenly that village falls victim

to acts of war too.

 

239:     00:23:18:00 00:23:21:02 03:02

A war we, as a country,

were not involved in.

 

240:     00:23:22:13 00:23:28:11 05:23

Six weeks after the crash a memorial

service is held for Erik and Truike.

 

241:     00:23:28:14 00:23:33:01 04:12

But the church is far too small,

so the sports centre is set up too.

 

242:     00:23:33:04 00:23:35:24 02:20

People wanted to contribute.

 

243:     00:23:36:02 00:23:41:14 05:12

Everyone was involved with what had

happened and the missing pieces.

 

244:     00:23:41:17 00:23:45:21 04:04

So they all helped putting up the chairs...

 

245:     00:23:45:24 00:23:49:05 03:06

...or putting up torches along the street.

 

246:     00:23:49:08 00:23:53:21 04:13

Everyone contributes. So the council,

me with my councilman's hat on...

 

247:     00:23:53:24 00:23:59:19 05:20

...we have to keep our distance.

It's the community expressing its grief...

 

248:     00:23:59:22 00:24:01:14 01:17

...and sympathy.

 

249:     00:24:07:06 00:24:10:11 03:05

Oud Ade consists of a number of families.

 

250:     00:24:10:14 00:24:15:02 04:13

The Heemskerks and the Van der Poels

are large families.

 

251:     00:24:15:05 00:24:18:19 03:14

So there are a lot of family connections.

 

252:     00:24:18:22 00:24:22:23 04:01

No one has to feel alone in the village.

 

253:     00:24:23:01 00:24:28:23 05:22

They were living their best lives.

Erik, beautiful man. Truike, beautiful girl.

 

254:     00:24:31:05 00:24:35:06 04:01

Such a great turnout says it all.

 

255:     00:24:35:09 00:24:39:05 03:21

It was such a major incident.

 

256:     00:24:39:08 00:24:45:08 06:00

It made people show their concern

and feel involved.

 

257:     00:24:45:11 00:24:47:24 02:13

And even during the memorial...

 

258:     00:24:48:22 00:24:50:23 02:01

...it felt like a warm embrace.

 

259:     00:24:53:14 00:24:56:15 03:01

ripped from the summer

 

260:     00:24:56:18 00:24:58:20 02:02

falling from the sky above

 

261:     00:24:59:19 00:25:01:14 01:20

a gust of wind?

 

262:     00:25:02:05 00:25:04:06 02:01

birds playing around?

 

263:     00:25:05:19 00:25:07:24 02:05

human vandalism

 

264:     00:25:24:05 00:25:28:02 03:22

You could say Piet Pouw

is Oud Ade's conscience.

 

265:     00:25:28:05 00:25:31:02 02:22

He's been with

drama society VIOS for 50 years.

 

266:     00:25:31:05 00:25:33:15 02:10

You'll be a very healthy nun.

 

267:     00:25:33:18 00:25:38:08 04:15

Like the soccer team,

the drama society is key in the village.

 

268:     00:25:38:11 00:25:42:15 04:04

Wait, I have a fun idea.

- So do I. Keep your mouth shut for now.

 

269:     00:25:42:18 00:25:46:05 03:12

Otherwise you'll have

a very uneven moustache.

 

270:     00:25:47:03 00:25:50:16 03:13

Piet writes, directs and does make up.

 

271:     00:25:50:19 00:25:53:19 03:00

This is the final performance of the year.

 

272:     00:25:54:19 00:25:58:05 03:11

Truike often performed in Piet's shows.

 

273:     00:25:59:10 00:26:02:20 03:10

What was Truike like?

- A spirited girl.

 

274:     00:26:02:23 00:26:09:11 06:13

A stage animal like you see

in any drama society.

 

275:     00:26:09:14 00:26:12:01 02:12

They have to carry the load...

 

276:     00:26:12:04 00:26:17:22 05:18

...and they go the extra mile

to make the society run smoothly.

 

277:     00:26:19:05 00:26:24:07 05:02

Truike's passing

cuts the drama society to the core.

 

278:     00:26:29:13 00:26:34:13 05:00

Well, we were just floored. Shattered.

 

279:     00:26:36:07 00:26:43:04 06:22

And you discuss

how to move on from this.

 

280:     00:26:45:04 00:26:50:00 04:21

Right after the crash all Piet can do

is sit at his computer.

 

281:     00:26:50:03 00:26:54:18 04:15

He writes the play <Engelientje>,

to console his village.

 

282:     00:26:54:21 00:26:59:16 04:20

A story about an angel who takes

her love from earth into heaven.

 

283:     00:27:00:17 00:27:07:21 07:04

It gave us energy.

And also the hope that with this...

 

284:     00:27:09:13 00:27:15:01 05:13

...we could do something for the people

who were hit hardest by this.

 

285:     00:27:16:03 00:27:21:09 05:06

And that it might help...

 

286:     00:27:21:12 00:27:25:24 04:12

...draw a very thin line

underneath what had happened.

 

287:     00:27:26:02 00:27:28:04 02:02

So people could move on.

 

288:     00:27:29:01 00:27:33:20 04:19

So the play was performed.

How did people react?

 

289:     00:27:35:00 00:27:39:04 04:04

With a lot of gratitude.

 

290:     00:27:39:07 00:27:44:12 05:05

Normally you get things like:

Good show, well played, very funny.

 

291:     00:27:44:15 00:27:50:13 05:23

And this time it was all very subdued.

 

292:     00:27:50:16 00:27:53:08 02:17

A pat on the back and off they went.

 

293:     00:27:56:14 00:28:01:12 04:23

It still moves you.

- Yes, it does.

 

294:     00:28:03:10 00:28:08:05 04:20

at the height of her beauty

in the prime of her life

 

295:     00:28:09:04 00:28:10:20 01:16

not done

 

296:     00:28:11:15 00:28:13:04 01:14

far from it

 

297:     00:28:14:02 00:28:16:18 02:16

random

arbitrary

 

298:     00:28:17:14 00:28:21:02 03:13

Death makes his choice

with his eyes covered

 

299:     00:28:25:03 00:28:27:12 02:09

You just wait...

 

300:     00:28:27:15 00:28:32:16 05:01

...until you're finally told

that Erik has been identified.

 

301:     00:28:32:19 00:28:36:15 03:21

You want those kids back. That's really...

 

302:     00:28:37:24 00:28:42:22 04:23

...all you want. But at the same time

you know it will be very difficult.

 

303:     00:28:43:00 00:28:48:00 05:00

These were people who fell

from a height of 10 kilometers...

 

304:     00:28:48:03 00:28:50:24 02:21

...and were inside a burning wreck.

 

305:     00:28:51:02 00:28:54:11 03:09

We knew where they'd sat on the plane.

 

306:     00:28:54:14 00:29:00:21 06:07

In the strongest part, really.

Near the wing, in the middle.

 

307:     00:29:01:15 00:29:07:17 06:02

That's where most of the fire was. So we

figured it could take a very long time.

 

308:     00:29:07:20 00:29:11:22 04:02

But still... Anything.

 

309:     00:29:12:00 00:29:16:03 04:03

It may sound strange,

but you want something tangible.

 

310:     00:29:16:06 00:29:18:10 02:04

Why?

- Well...

 

311:     00:29:20:03 00:29:23:24 03:21

To have him home.

You'd have him back here.

 

312:     00:29:27:08 00:29:31:06 03:23

Four months after the crash

Toos and Dammes are told...

 

313:     00:29:31:09 00:29:33:12 02:03

...Erik has been found.

 

314:     00:29:33:15 00:29:39:16 06:01

You feel very glad. But you have mixed

feelings, you also feel very sad.

 

315:     00:29:39:19 00:29:44:01 04:07

They'd found bone fragments.

 

316:     00:29:44:04 00:29:49:04 05:00

And every time they'd identified

something, we'd get a message.

 

317:     00:29:49:07 00:29:52:16 03:09

And we'd be happy

something more had been found.

 

318:     00:29:52:19 00:29:56:18 03:24

But on the other hand we'd feel gutted...

 

319:     00:29:56:21 00:30:01:24 05:03

...to get our child back

in so many small pieces.

 

320:     00:30:03:11 00:30:07:02 03:16

After more of Erik's remains

are identified...

 

321:     00:30:07:05 00:30:11:14 04:09

...his body is released.

And something else has been found.

 

322:     00:30:11:17 00:30:17:07 05:15

They told us a piece of his T-shirt,

or his sports shirt, was found.

 

323:     00:30:17:10 00:30:23:14 06:04

With the brand logo here, on the chest.

 

324:     00:30:23:17 00:30:27:06 03:14

Around it the fabric was frayed

and a little singed.

 

325:     00:30:27:09 00:30:31:00 03:16

So that was extraordinary.

 

326:     00:30:31:21 00:30:36:08 04:12

We chose to have it buried with him,

but in retrospect...

 

327:     00:30:36:11 00:30:41:11 05:00

...it would have been nice if we'd kept it

to put in the cabinet upstairs.

 

328:     00:30:41:14 00:30:43:15 02:01

Because?

- Well...

 

329:     00:30:45:02 00:30:51:00 05:23

It's something he wore on his body.

So it was very close to him.

 

330:     00:30:54:05 00:30:58:04 03:24

It's like I...

 

331:     00:30:59:03 00:31:04:01 04:23

At some point we cleared out

the house they lived in.

 

332:     00:31:04:04 00:31:06:12 02:08

After renovating it the year before.

 

333:     00:31:06:15 00:31:11:02 04:12

When I got to his bed

I briefly sniffed at his pillow.

 

334:     00:31:11:05 00:31:13:02 01:22

Not a good idea.

 

335:     00:31:13:24 00:31:18:18 04:19

It stirs up so much. You smell him and...

 

336:     00:31:19:23 00:31:23:02 03:04

You know? That kind of closeness.

 

337:     00:31:27:17 00:31:34:01 06:09

In Erik's case we had several messages

saying something had been found.

 

338:     00:31:34:04 00:31:38:11 04:07

But Truike... We heard nothing.

 

339:     00:31:38:14 00:31:45:12 06:23

That was so hard. So very hard.

We really felt for Truike's family.

 

340:     00:31:45:15 00:31:48:20 03:05

So hard that we kept getting

those messages.

 

341:     00:31:48:23 00:31:56:03 07:05

We waited a while

so we might bury them together.

 

342:     00:31:56:06 00:32:00:23 04:17

That's what you wanted?

- Yes, that was the perfect picture.

 

343:     00:32:02:12 00:32:05:10 02:23

But then he was found.

 

344:     00:32:05:13 00:32:08:24 03:11

And we were like,

we don't want to wait anymore.

 

345:     00:32:09:02 00:32:12:03 03:01

We want to bury Erik.

 

346:     00:32:13:04 00:32:15:13 02:09

That was fine, so we did.

 

347:     00:32:15:16 00:32:21:00 05:09

But once Erik was here in the mortuary,

next to the church...

 

348:     00:32:21:03 00:32:25:00 03:22

...they came to tell us

Truike had been found as well.

 

349:     00:32:26:15 00:32:29:20 03:05

We were so happy for Truike's family.

 

350:     00:32:29:23 00:32:35:18 05:20

But for us too.

We feel they're together after all.

 

351:     00:32:36:24 00:32:41:15 04:16

Erik and Truike have been reunited.

But that's not the end of it.

 

352:     00:32:41:18 00:32:47:07 05:14

18 months after the crash

more of Erik's remains are identified.

 

353:     00:32:47:10 00:32:50:13 03:03

This time, Toos and Dammes

bring them home themselves.

 

354:     00:32:51:07 00:32:57:11 06:04

It feels strange to be in the car with

a little casket holding a few pieces of Erik.

 

355:     00:32:57:14 00:33:04:06 06:17

It felt very good, but bittersweet.

at the same time. So sad.

 

356:     00:33:04:09 00:33:06:11 02:02

But beautiful too.

 

357:     00:33:06:14 00:33:09:12 02:23

Back home we put the casket

on the table...

 

358:     00:33:09:15 00:33:12:10 02:20

...with Erik's picture and a candle.

 

359:     00:33:13:18 00:33:18:04 04:11

Which was also very nice,

to have him home for one more day.

 

360:     00:33:19:17 00:33:24:02 04:10

So that's where it was, that day.

 

361:     00:33:25:01 00:33:32:08 07:07

And the next day our family

went to put it in their grave.

 

362:     00:33:44:24 00:33:48:22 03:23

Nice game, I think.

- It was.

 

363:     00:33:49:00 00:33:50:15 01:15

And three points.

 

364:     00:33:50:18 00:33:55:00 04:07

Our team will never be whole again,

but it's gained strength.

 

365:     00:33:55:03 00:33:59:06 04:03

Now you tell a friend you love him.

Which was 'not done' before.

 

366:     00:33:59:09 00:34:05:07 05:23

But now we've lived through something

so intense, we are much closer.

 

367:     00:34:12:24 00:34:17:14 04:15

A guy from our team, Jelle,

Truike's cousin...

 

368:     00:34:17:17 00:34:25:04 07:12

...took the initiative to frame

Truike's shirt and Erik's shirt.

 

369:     00:34:29:01 00:34:31:22 02:21

The number 10 will be Erik's forever.

 

370:     00:34:34:08 00:34:37:14 03:06

So no one else

will ever wear that number.

 

371:     00:35:07:17 00:35:09:24 02:07

Hi, Rick.

- I'm here with the bag.

 

372:     00:35:10:02 00:35:12:21 02:19

Great. How did it go?

- We won 5-2.

 

373:     00:35:12:24 00:35:15:15 02:16

Well now, that's nice.

- All good.

 

374:     00:35:15:18 00:35:17:20 02:02

And lovely weather.

- All good.

 

375:     00:35:17:23 00:35:21:13 03:15

I'll see this gets washed. See you.

- Thanks. Bye.

 

376:     00:35:26:21 00:35:30:12 03:16

I used to do this when Erik was alive.

 

377:     00:35:30:15 00:35:34:14 03:24

And even though

Erik isn't playing anymore...

 

378:     00:35:34:17 00:35:38:01 03:09

...I still like to do this for them.

 

379:     00:35:39:20 00:35:43:05 03:10

It feels good

when they return the bag to me...

 

380:     00:35:43:08 00:35:47:24 04:16

...and have a chat. Just for a moment,

but you keep in touch.

 

381:     00:35:48:02 00:35:51:23 03:21

It feels good to stay connected

to those guys.

 

382:     00:35:54:03 00:35:57:02 02:24

I think it's part of the village culture.

 

383:     00:35:57:05 00:36:01:14 04:09

And with her own character.

Toos is a lovely woman...

 

384:     00:36:01:17 00:36:03:23 02:06

...who likes to help others.

 

385:     00:36:04:01 00:36:09:08 05:07

She stays connected to Erik's team

and we really value that.

 

386:     00:36:10:22 00:36:16:09 05:12

I found distraction to be a vital necessity.

You really need it.

 

387:     00:36:16:12 00:36:20:18 04:06

And in some way

it brings me closer to Erik.

 

388:     00:36:20:21 00:36:22:21 02:00

And that feels good.

 

389:     00:36:34:06 00:36:40:06 06:00

As for Erik, he often comes up on

the racing bike. All the time, really.

 

390:     00:36:41:07 00:36:46:04 04:22

You find yourself thinking

about certain events.

 

391:     00:36:50:17 00:36:53:21 03:04

It's one of the little things...

 

392:     00:36:53:24 00:36:56:22 02:23

...that help you process it all.

 

393:     00:36:57:00 00:36:59:16 02:16

And it helps me to be stronger.

 

394:     00:37:01:23 00:37:05:00 03:02

I didn't know people process things

so differently.

 

395:     00:37:05:03 00:37:09:24 04:21

With Toos it's very close to the surface.

With me it's further down.

 

396:     00:37:10:02 00:37:13:16 03:14

And Toos can suddenly bring it up again.

 

397:     00:37:13:19 00:37:16:10 02:16

'Bring it up again,' is what I said.

 

398:     00:37:16:13 00:37:21:07 04:19

Sometimes I'm like:

Not now. I just don't feel like it now.

 

399:     00:37:23:09 00:37:25:16 02:07

And she'll see that.

 

400:     00:37:25:19 00:37:30:10 04:16

And then she'll be like...

We'll just clash.

 

401:     00:37:30:13 00:37:32:20 02:07

And how do you fix it?

- Patience.

 

402:     00:37:32:23 00:37:36:21 03:23

Although we're not always patient,

the two of us.

 

403:     00:37:36:24 00:37:40:00 03:01

But patience. And underneath it all...

 

404:     00:37:40:03 00:37:46:12 06:09

...we just love each other. So that

always smoothes things out again.

 

405:     00:37:48:12 00:37:52:11 03:24

Based on the work

of the Joint Investigation Team...

 

406:     00:37:52:14 00:37:56:10 03:21

...we have decided to bring action

against four suspects...

 

407:     00:37:56:13 00:38:00:20 04:07

...for shooting down flight MH17.

 

408:     00:38:00:23 00:38:05:01 04:03

Are you looking to blame someone?

- I am. Not day in, day out.

 

409:     00:38:05:23 00:38:11:13 05:15

But it's simple: I want them to stand trial.

 

410:     00:38:11:16 00:38:13:11 01:20

Igor Girkin.

 

411:     00:38:13:14 00:38:16:03 02:14

The trial will start in March.

 

412:     00:38:16:06 00:38:19:07 03:01

The defendants probably

won't be present.

 

413:     00:38:19:10 00:38:22:15 03:05

But Dammes really needs answers.

 

414:     00:38:22:18 00:38:24:19 02:01

And Leonid Ghartsjenko.

 

415:     00:38:24:22 00:38:29:13 04:16

How can someone decide to attack

a plane flying at 10 kilometers?

 

416:     00:38:29:16 00:38:32:03 02:12

Even without a radar they'd know this.

 

417:     00:38:32:06 00:38:36:00 03:19

And still they pushed that button.

 

418:     00:38:36:03 00:38:39:23 03:20

I'd like to know what they were thinking.

 

419:     00:38:41:17 00:38:47:15 05:23

I won't have closure until the culprits have

been tried or made to answer for it.

 

420:     00:39:04:02 00:39:10:01 05:24

Are we going to sing for granny?

'Happy birthday to you...'

 

421:     00:39:12:06 00:39:14:23 02:17

You can go in.

- Go on in.

 

422:     00:39:15:22 00:39:19:02 03:05

Want to come with me?

 

423:     00:39:23:02 00:39:26:20 03:18

Why have we all come here?

 

424:     00:39:26:23 00:39:29:21 02:23

You are being decorated today.

 

425:     00:39:29:24 00:39:32:14 02:15

Even more valuable is your dedication.

 

426:     00:39:32:17 00:39:38:06 05:14

Your contribution to society

and the way you're there for others.

 

427:     00:39:39:06 00:39:41:09 02:03

Toos van der Poel.

 

428:     00:39:47:10 00:39:51:24 04:14

You look fabulous.

So let's start with you.

 

429:     00:39:52:02 00:39:55:16 03:14

I greatly admire you

for having found the strength...

 

430:     00:39:55:19 00:39:59:00 03:06

...to continue your volunteer work...

 

431:     00:39:59:03 00:40:04:03 05:00

...after the terrible loss your family faced

due to the MH17 crash.

 

432:     00:40:07:19 00:40:12:17 04:23

People appreciate what you do, judging

from the heartwarming responses...

 

433:     00:40:12:20 00:40:18:09 05:14

...we received in support of the petition

to have you decorated.

 

434:     00:40:18:12 00:40:23:22 05:10

At sporting club ROAC you're responsible

for RAOC 5 Seniors.

 

435:     00:40:24:00 00:40:28:17 04:17

You keep them looking clean.

I gather you do the washing?

 

436:     00:40:28:20 00:40:32:04 03:09

Of their outfits.

- Not the guys.

 

437:     00:40:35:04 00:40:40:16 05:12

The theme of the story is

that you're always there for others.

 

438:     00:40:40:19 00:40:45:22 05:03

This is why our King decided

to elevate you...

 

439:     00:40:46:00 00:40:50:15 04:15

...to member of the Order of

Orange-Nassau. Applause, please.

 

440:     00:41:02:21 00:41:07:00 04:04

Let us continue with

Mr Joop Gies Broesterhuizen.

 

441:     00:41:20:07 00:41:24:04 03:22

In the mayor's speech

MH17 was mentioned.

 

442:     00:41:25:08 00:41:31:05 05:22

That makes me feel emotional. This is

something that makes all your emotions...

 

443:     00:41:32:13 00:41:36:03 03:15

How can I put it?

They all come up.

 

444:     00:41:39:16 00:41:43:09 03:18

We're incomplete, is how it feels.

And on a day like today...

 

445:     00:41:43:12 00:41:47:04 03:17

...it would have been nice

to have them here too.

 

446:     00:41:47:07 00:41:50:20 03:13

Which makes me miss them even more.

 

447:     00:42:02:16 00:42:05:10 02:19

It's five years later in Oud Ade.

 

448:     00:42:05:13 00:42:10:05 04:17

There's is room to party and laugh.

And people do.

 

449:     00:42:10:08 00:42:15:18 05:10

Together the villagers worked

through the crash, lifting each other up.

 

450:     00:42:15:21 00:42:18:24 03:03

In a small village

you get this fellowship...

 

451:     00:42:19:02 00:42:24:20 05:18

...because of people like Erik and Truike,

involved with people around them.

 

452:     00:42:24:23 00:42:30:11 05:13

People who do their best to unite people

from different backgrounds.

 

453:     00:42:30:14 00:42:34:15 04:01

Making connections is in their DNA.

 

454:     00:42:35:18 00:42:39:12 03:19

We pay lots of attention

to respecting others.

 

455:     00:42:39:15 00:42:44:14 04:24

That should make sure

we get a new generation of adults...

 

456:     00:42:44:17 00:42:48:07 03:15

...who still interact with people

the same way...

 

457:     00:42:48:10 00:42:52:00 03:15

...making sure

that kind of DNA is preserved.

 

458:     00:42:53:03 00:42:56:11 03:08

You have to devote yourself

to the soccer club...

 

459:     00:42:56:14 00:42:59:11 02:22

...and the drama society and the church.

 

460:     00:42:59:14 00:43:03:17 04:03

Those things bring people together

and they need that.

 

461:     00:43:03:20 00:43:07:23 04:03

Especially in times of grief

and major tragedies.

 

462:     00:43:08:01 00:43:13:19 05:18

Then you see things surface you invested

in unwittingly all of those years.

 

463:     00:43:15:00 00:43:19:11 04:11

Oud Ade is very important.

I'd never want to leave here.

 

464:     00:43:19:14 00:43:24:03 04:14

People are so concerned

and sympathetic. That feels so good.

 

465:     00:43:24:06 00:43:29:21 05:15

It didn't come as a surprise. I know

the village. It's a safe environment.

 

466:     00:43:29:24 00:43:33:07 03:08

Even if it's not said in so many words,

you just know.

 

467:     00:43:33:10 00:43:35:16 02:06

And that feels good.

 

468:     00:43:36:18 00:43:41:17 04:24

If only Erik knew how many people

have been supporting us...

 

469:     00:43:41:20 00:43:43:23 02:03

...and lifting us up.

 

470:     00:43:44:01 00:43:48:19 04:18

I think he would have loved it.