17-year-old Roy van Mil from Emmen died on Sunday afternoon after a collision with a train at a level crossing in his hometown. His death hits his employer, school and football club like a bombshell.
On the spot of the fatal accident, there are a few bunches of flowers on Monday morning. Here, at the railway crossing on Kerkhoflaan, things went wrong on Sunday afternoon. The 17-year-old boy was hit by a train. The New York Pizza pizza delivery driver died at the scene of his injuries.
Police investigations indicate that the barriers were closed at the time of the collision. The police are still investigating the exact cause. Many people saw the collision. “Victim support has been arranged for these people. It was a serious accident,” says police spokesman Thijs Damstra.
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‘Not a wink of sleep’
De Emmenaar rode a delivery scooter from New York Pizza, the fast food chain he worked for. After the accident, some employees of the pizza chain sat on a bench in front of the branch on Wilhelminastraat, mourning their deceased colleague.
The shock is great. Condolences poured in on social media. New York Pizza owner Mattis de Visser is deeply touched. “I didn’t sleep a wink all night,” he says Monday morning. “It has always been my greatest fear that something would happen to a member of staff.”
‘It immediately became clear to me’
De Visser himself was not in the business at the time of the accident. “I got a call about the accident and then I read a newspaper article. Then I looked at the journeys in the system and it immediately became clear to me.” He describes the crashed Roy as “one of my best couriers”. “He started as a bicycle courier and then rode a scooter. He was always faithfully present and when it was busy he could handle the stress well.”
New York Pizza in Emmen will in any case remain closed on Monday. “We want to hold a memorial moment at the case for the staff. We still have to see how we are going to dress that up.”
Quiet room at school
Roy was known as a sporty boy. He studied Sport and Exercise at the Drenthe College in Emmen. A special quiet room has been set up at the school to commemorate Roy. His death echoes. “A huge shock,” says spokesperson Bert Broekhoven. “We receive students from his group. That is a process of days, because they do not see each other every day.”
‘Smacks like a bomb’
Football association SC Angelslo, the club where Roy started playing football, is also in deep mourning. “This hits like a bomb,” says SC Angelslo chairman Gerrit Hidding. “The news hit me physically. I immediately had goosebumps. Such a young person with his whole life ahead of him… Unbelievable.”
Volunteers set up a memorial corner in the canteen, including his goalkeeper kit, goalkeeper gloves and a photo. Roy was known as a talented goalkeeper. He stood under the bar on behalf of FC Meerdijk, the joint youth department of SC Angelslo and VV Emmen. He had been training with the first selection of SC Angelslo for a while and after the summer he would join the first.
The canteen of SC Angelslo will be open on Monday evening from 6 p.m. for anyone who wants to remember him.
Tags: Mourning Roy Emmen died accident pizza courier talented keeper
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