‘I was left alone with my baby and two foster children’

Viola couldn’t be happier. “I had it all: a lovely husband, a child of our own and two wonderful foster children.” However, the happiness did not last long. “Niels turned out to have had a heart attack and there was nothing more they could do for him,” she says famme.

“Niels and I wanted nothing more than a large family. He himself came from a family of six children: two sisters, a brother and two foster brothers, with whom he was always very close. After a four-year relationship, Niels indicated that he also wanted to become a foster father. It also seemed very nice to me, so we went to look into it and signed up. Six months later we were asked if we wanted to provide long-term care for two children, a four-year-old boy and a two-year-old girl. We couldn’t wait to give them a warm home, because they had never experienced that before.

Pregnant

When our foster children lived with us for two years, we decided to go for a child together. After four months I was pregnant. The pregnancy went well and flew by. Our foster children were very proud of their sister. They helped me change, gave me bottles and told anyone who would listen that they had a sister.

Great luck

More and more often I pinched myself in my hands. I couldn’t be happier. In fact, I had it all: a lovely husband, a child of our own, and two wonderful foster children. I was busy every day and didn’t have a second of rest, but I did it all with great pleasure and love. I had to give these children a good life.

Holidays

Every summer vacation we tried to go on vacation for two weeks. Likewise this summer. We went to a holiday home an hour’s drive from our house, which was so nice with a four-month-old baby. From the moment we got there we had a lot of fun. We made trips to museums, went swimming, trampoline jumping and good food. It was a wonderful time.

Nightmare

On the sixth day of our vacation, Niels suddenly felt unwell. I decided to take the kids outside so he could get into bed and take it easy. I thought he was going to get sick. I myself often suffered from this during the holidays. After two hours we came back and I saw Niels lying on his stomach on the floor in front of the couch. I immediately saw that it was wrong. I called 911 and before I knew it our cottage was full of paramedics and police officers. It was one big nightmare.

Heart attack

Niels turned out to have had a heart attack and there was nothing more they could do for him. I couldn’t believe he was gone. My great love and dearest father. Fortunately, our family was close by and they came directly to us. In the weeks and months after his death, our lives were all about getting things done and surviving, it really felt like that.

Widow with three children

I still ask myself how this could have happened. Niels was always so fit and strong. Recently our daughter started walking for the first time, I cried with joy and sadness. I would have loved to share this with Niels. My two foster children, who were fortunately able to continue living with me, are still very sad about the situation. I’m glad we can all talk about it properly. Despite the great loss of Niels, I will continue to do my best to remain a close-knit family.”

Sandra: ‘I’m going through all the baby clothes from years ago in my mind’