MAX LEENHOUWERS

He lieverd,

Vannacht om precies 0.00 uur het jaar 2012 afgesloten, het jaar waarin ik je heb moeten laten gaan, met heel veel pijn in mijn hart, en oh zo veel verdriet.
Gisteravond nog even bij Kelly op bezoek geweest, ze komt er wel, is een sterke vrouw.
Je moest eens weten hoeveel ik je mis.
In ons bureel heeft Marius de vitrinekast opgezet, met daarin je door de jaren heen gespaarde ferrari;s, en voor mij heeft hij 2 verdiepingen vrij gehouden, waar ik spulletjes van je in kan doen. Zo ook, je knuffel toen je baby was, en het eigen gebreide babyvestje met heel groot MAX op de achterkant, alles wat me dierbaar is gaat in de vitrinekast, ben bang dat er straks een verdieping bij moet komen, en je ferrari;s moeten opschuiven,maar dat is alleen maar fijn.
Je Selamatan maaltijd was trouwens gisteren nog niet helemaal door de "natuur"opgegeten, maar dat komt ook goeie, toch Max?
Ik wil je nog bedanken voor het feit dat je woord hebt gehouden, toen Marius aan het twijfelen was over zijn nieuwe uitdaging bij het Dakarteam van de Rooij. Je hebt hem beloofd dat er in Januari niets met je zou gebeuren, en dat hij dus met een gerust hart zijn grote avontuur kan aangaan. Komende weken zul je mij nog vaker bij je graf zien staan, maar ik weet dat je mijn beschermengel bent, net als Harley. Nou Maxie tot snel maar weer he... dikke kus Mama

Hi Max,
Bedankt voor die mooie stropdas voor m'n verjaardag.
Gr. Jos

Begrijp ik zo goed..

C

Max, wil je gewoon ff laten weten dat ik je mis.... xxx Mama

Hey Max, found a picture of the two of us in the good old days when we were puppies. You are my best buddy!!!

Bloemen verwelkt, Kerststuk geplaatst...

Spectrum

Below an interpretation of the article in the Eindhoven Newspaper (ED) of Saturday november 24 2012

Not even one year and a half ago he showed up on the frontpage of this newspaper. Max Leenhouwers, powerman with a ‘timebomb’in his head, biked four times the Alpe D’Huez. Mentally unharmed but fysically weakened he equalled this performance this year. Just last week on Friday the ED interviewed him. For the last time. An interview on the edge of life and death.

Surviver must surrender

After one hour and a half it is enough for Max. The interview exhausted him. He orders a snack to get new energy. Then, halfway his snack it suddenly happens. Max gets cramped he says. His arm shakes heavily. Slowly he sinks down in his seat while closing his eyes. Nobody is able to get in contact with him. Not much later an ambulance will take Max to the hospital.

Back to France on a warm june day at the charity ride called Alpe D’Huzes. A young guy apparently not tired but determined finishes on the heaviest mountain of the Alpes. Straight into the arms of his mother. “Tired”? My butt hurts a little.. That’s all. Cycleamateurs talk in awe about the Alpe D’Huez. A horrible climb of 14 kilometer with 21 hairpins. This mountain was taken by him four times on one day with a braintumor as big as a tennisball. Sunset made it not possible for him to make a fifth climb and this dissapointed him. Most of the riders were exhausted or being massaged. Not Max! This was one year and a half ago. Today it was november 2012 and there was a new encounter with Max. last june he equalled his performance of 2011. This performance was unknown only for the fact that his braintumor metastased to his spine. Back in the Netherlands at home his condition decreased and he had to undergo another heavy chemosession. Normally a human being cannot cope with a poisionous cocktail for the second time. But with Max’ willpower his doctors decided to give it another try. The chemo was not a succes. Last month he got the worst case scenarionews. No more treatments possible for him. Chemosessions as well as numerous radiations were not able to destroy the 2004 discovered tumor. Max “The Terminator of Eindhoven” as he was nicknamed had to surrender after an eight year old fight. The eternal Positivo who always told everybody that it would be all fine had no answer to this bad news.

The interview with Max is held in the store of James Hoed where Max was employed for several years. When he enters the shop it is very clear, The tumor is in charge now. Curved back, leaning on a cane with his mangled arm: an heritage of his first meeting with cancer at the age of 5. That battle then was won by him. Now more shuffling then walking he is looking out for a comfortable seat. Even in this vulnerable situation Max is willing to cooperate and give an interview to this newspaper.
This fits in in the thourougly organised schedule he started since his deathsentence. Everything is doublechecked. It had to be a funeral he decided so people had a place to visit to grieve. For the guests on his funeral he suggested a dresscode “Sophisticated Black”. Instructions for flowers where added too: “Flowers only preferred red”. I want it all to look classy he explained. After the interview he had to pick a suit in his own shop. A suit to be worn in his black shiny coffin. Max required high standards to his presentation. Cycling, even if it was for a trainingride, had to be on a bike named Specialized, in a fine shirt with matching socks. His suitcase was always organised like in the army with his underwear, socks and tie in neat rows. If Max ordered a Coke with 4 icecubes you’d better not give him 3 cubes instead of 4 explains Steph, Max’s father.
Max fought his disease with 3 weapons: an incredible fightingspirit, humungeous energy, and an incredible optimism. Steph: my son lives his life in a gear we have never seen before. Max: This is less complicated as it seems. It was never a choice for me. To give up didn’t occur to me. I was lucky that after the first diagnosis I was able to live for eight years without too much pain. It is ironic how he comforted the people around him. People who felt incapable to help. I am more a giver than a taker. One of his best friends speaks; Before you could ask him how he was feeling he already popped the question to you!

This turned around concern didn’t make it possible for Max to have a steady relationship with a girlfiend. I cannot provide a future. I always thought it was not meant for me. But he fell for the love of Kelly at the end of june. Kelly lost her mother in january (cancer too). Kelly gave Max’ life more colour but after the last news about his situation his fysique became frail. I have problems to concentrate, irritable and restless. This doesn’t fit me.
Peace and rest he hoped to find with Kelly in his new house in the center of Eindhoven. He bought this 3 years ago. Because the constructor failed the project was delayed. He found his rest the last weeks in Lommel just across the border in Belgium with his mom and stepfather. Just a while ago his delayed house was ready. Next weekend we will move in even if it is for one day! It couldn’t be. In the hospital where Max was taken he got 7 more attacks. Unexpectedly but typical for his fighting spirit he wakes up from a deep sleep where he was brought into with morphine. He balances on the edge of life and death for another day. Father Steph: It was like a candle at the end, at any time you can expect the plume!
The picture for this interview (Max had prepared himself of course) was never made. The suit he had to pick was never picked. His new house became never his home. Last Monday Max passed only 27 years old. Today is his funeral.

Post Proelia Praemia
After the battle there is the reward. This Latin translation of this lifemotto was tattood on his chest in a way he could read it in the mirror. The reward was found by Max in the performances like on the Alpe D’Huez and the strength he got from it.
Rewards were accomplished too with the millions of €uros that came out of this to provide the cancerfoundation to do research.

He Maxie, ik ben net mijn mailbox aan het doorspitten, en daar kom ik de foto tegen die ik van je heb gemaakt, net voor vertrek in Lommel voor je intervieuw met het ED. Ik moest deze gewoon ff aan iedereen laten zien via je eigen site, ik ben zo ongelooflijk trots op je, xxxx Mama

Calling all angels.
I need you near to the ground.