Asked to marry
Maurits recently proposed to Emma, the eldest daughter of Henny’s daughter Nikki (47). ‘We didn’t know anything about that. They had been together for six years and to mark the occasion we would all have dinner together. And then Maurits suddenly got down on his knees to ask Emma to marry him.
Secret taken to the grave
What makes it extra special is that Maurits and Emma visited her just before the death of Henny’s mother. ‘They told her she was going to be a great-great-grandmother again. She loved that. She had also resolved to live until birth. That was her dot on the horizon. Just like two years ago. Then she also wanted to experience being able to hold her great-great-grandson in her arms. That was successful. But she was too weak now. In the utmost secrecy, Maurits then told my mother that he would propose marriage to Emma. Because he also realized that she would not have long to live. He made her promise not to tell anyone. She indeed took that secret to her grave. I am very happy that Maurits told her the good news then.’
