Why real estate agent Alex van Keulen fights against injustice: ‘I have been resuscitated twice’

Raised by brothers and sisters

Another way to help people is foster care. Van Keulen is an ambassador for foster care. The fact that he works so hard for it is also due to his own youth. “We had ten children at home. That got in the way of paperwork and then my father left,” he looks back candidly. “I never knew him.”

His mother was having a hard time and was unable to care for the children. “She was exhausted. Perhaps depressed. Fortunately, I had many brothers and sisters who I could support and which ultimately turned out quite well for me.”

One in a million chance

Myocarditis was a determining factor in his life: an inflamed heart muscle. “I was resuscitated twice,” he says. “I had a one in a million chance, the doctor said. Then my wife said: if there is a chance, he will take it. In the end it worked, I was very lucky.”

“Very honest: it is the best thing that happened to me,” Van Keulen says now. “I then changed my life for the better. I also happened to come into contact with a woman whose husband had just died, and the notary and the real estate agent tried to poach her home for little money. Then I just knew: I want to do this. That’s how it is Stay of Execution emerged.” That program will return to television this fall.

He gets angry when citizens get into trouble and can count on little understanding. The example of Anneke is also discussed: after twenty years she discovered that her home turned out to be a company home, without the municipality providing convincing evidence for this. “The damage was at least 200,000 euros and she was sent from pillar to post. I can’t stand it when people are no match for aldermen, bailiffs, the heavyweights in our society.”