Geoffrey Haarselhorst

Geoffrey, little brother. Whenever I think of you, my memories inevitably take me back to our childhood. Countless hours building entire LEGO worlds, playing with toy garages and cars… and yes, Barbies too. I honestly think you spent more hours playing with them than I did. Board games like Onderuit, Wie is het? and Spookslot will forever be linked to you. And then there were the moments I’ll never forget. Jumping off the diving board before you could even swim. Crashing your bike around the block, hitting your head and ending up in the hospital. Packing your little suitcase and leaving home after an argument with Mom. You couldn’t have been more than five years old. Stabbing me with a satay skewer because you were angry. Throwing me through the glass door after yet another one of our fights. Looking back now, we probably deserved each other. As we got older, we each started following our own path. You traded your bike and skateboard for a little Dax, and later a motocross bike. There were the weekends in Vlimmeren with Steven and Tim, hanging out in Steven’s grandmother’s garden. Rugby became part of your life, and later came the off-road adventures with your Mitsubishi L200. You absolutely loved it. It was also the time when many of our moments together ended with me finding you asleep after yet another great party. Behind the steering wheel of your car, on the doormat, on the toilet… just to name a few. But no matter what had happened the night before, by lunchtime we had to be sitting at the table together. Then came your own place in Merksem. I’ll forever associate it with spaghetti at Den Trol in Schoten, often accompanied by Seba and friends. Mickey—your first dog—and, God forbid, the times I had to feed rats to your snake because you were away. And of course, our trip to Croatia. A trip I’ll always cherish. Then came Kuwait. Later Saudi Arabia. I think that’s when I realised you would never really come back to Belgium. But wherever life took you, you always managed to create a home and surround yourself with friends. As I would often say, even a rock would talk to you. It was also the period of your famous beard cuts. We saw quite a few different versions over the years. And somewhere along the way, you met Karen. When things became serious between the two of you, you got married and moved to America. I won’t lie—I wasn’t thrilled about it. Because this time it really was permanent. No more seeing each other every week. From then on, we shared our lives through WhatsApp messages, phone calls and sending lots of pictures and videos of things we encountered each on our side of the world. You even managed to be of my ‘last minute’ wedding by photoshopping yourself in the pictures!? Even though we were apart on some of the biggest moments in our lives, the times we were together again, it felt as if you’d never left. And every goodbye became hard all over again. But, I have to admit… America gave you some of the greatest gifts of your life. Jan and Cindy became your best friends and your second family. They opened their home to you when life became difficult, and for that we will always be grateful. And then there was Emie. Your whole world. Everything you did revolved around her. You wanted for nothing to be missing from her life. And we promise you this: We’ll continue to be there for her. Geoffrey, You left this world exactly as you lived in it. Always ready to help someone. Always there when people needed you. So today, we celebrate your life the way you would have wanted. With a beer in our hands. And later, around the biggest bonfire we can build. Cheers to you, little brother. Always. Forever. Close to all of us.

Nicolas Haarselhorst

Dear Geoffrey, The news of your passing hit me like a bomb. Our friendship goes back to the first year of primary school as I learned when going through my photo’s. Further on we had a lot of fun at KSA and the years after we still kept in good contact. I remember you were the first one of my friends to have a car. And then your second car, and your third. And to date you are the only person here in Belgium I know to have driven a pick-up truck. All before I had completed my first year at university. All that time you were always ready to help out with anything. I remember asking for some advice on how to install a fence in the garden, when all of a sudden I found myself loading up some garden panels in the back of your pick-up truck. Once you were off on your adventures, we saw each other less often. But we always stayed in contact a little bit. Your helpfulness and altruism will live on in my memory. I can only find some consolation in the knowledge that you passed away doing something you loved and helping someone out. Undoubtedly, expecting nothing in return. Farewell, my friend. I want to offer my sincere condolences to Geoffrey’s family. The rare times we got in contact the past few years, he always spoke with lots of love for Emie en appreciation of friends around him in the States. Thanks for being there for him.

Dear friends, neighbours and acquaintances, On behalf of myself and Rita, his parents, Gwen, his sister, and his family in Europe, I want to thank all of you for your presence at this celebration in memory of of our dear beloved son Geoffrey. In times of this sad loss it is heartwarming to feel how beloved he is. We are convinced he will forever be remembered as a kind, obliging and helpful person. In particular,I would like to thank Jan and Cindy who took him into their family during the difficult period he was going through. We lost a valuable part of our lives, but as a consolation we gained invaluable friends who, despite their great sorrow, are doing their utmost to help and comfort us. Once again, I hope he will live on in your heart. Thank You.

Dear Geoffrey, The news of your accident was so shocking. Even now, at your celebration, I cannot realize we won't ever be together anymore. I love you so much and will miss you so badly. It is really hard to express my emotions. We shared 42 years of memories, mostly excellent, some less, when I think of you as a teenager, but that is part of growing up and education. As I look back to your life, the final result is wonderful, the impact you had on all your neighbours and aĺl the people that you met. I am really proud of you for what you have done, reached, created and the solutions you always found; and last, but not least, the wonderful relationship you had with us, your sister Gwen and your daughter Emie. Being idle was not in your nature, and exploring new things was part of you. I will miss you, our discussions, our telephone calls late at night while you were sipping a beer and smoking a cigarette, our big hugs after your several trips abroad and caĺling me " hey moesje". You will be forever in my heart and thoughts as my wonderful and loved son. Your mother, Rita