A new square in Hapert is going to be named after Tijn Kolsteren, the 6-year-old sick boy who stole everyone’s heart by painting nails for Serious Request in 2016. The special tribute was an idea of a village dweller wants Castelijns, he thinks Tijn deserves a tribute in his own village. Mother Jolanda thinks it is special that her son still lives in the minds of many people. “Very nice that we are not the only one who will never forget him,” she says.
“Tijn deserves a tribute in his own village, because it was a very special boy who was born and raised in Hapert,” says villager Wil. That is why, during an ideas market for the redesign of the village, he submitted the idea to name a square after the nail polish hero.
The Bladel city council submitted a motion for all ideas. The idea of realizing a ‘Tijn Kolsteren square’ was hired by all parties. According to the protocol, the street names committee of the municipality, consisting of members of the Heemkundekring, must still give advice to the city council before the square is officially there.
“But all parties were very enthusiastic so I wonder if the committee will come up with a different advice,” says Wil. Before he made his proposal, he asked Gerrit and Jolanda Kolsteren, Tijn’s parents.
“We think it is very beautiful and special that there will be a square,” says Jolanda Friday. “It is a nice idea that we are not the only one who will never forget him. Tijn is always remembered and will never be forgotten.”
“Dapper Klein Gereltje who wanted the best for others.”
The mother notices years after the special nail polish action at Serious Request that her son still lives in the minds of many people. “If you name it, you notice that there are few people who don’t know Tijn. He was such a brave little guy who wanted to do the best for others with his action. It’s great that that message with this square lives on.”
Tijn previously received a monument at the Red Cross office in The Hague. A fountain on the Grote Markt in Breda was named after him in 2022. “We come there sometimes, but it is also a bit of a drive. It is very nice that there is a square in its own village, making it very close,” says the mother.
We still have to wait and see when the square will be there. “At the old school that has now been demolished, a lawn has been planted that should become a square at the redesign of the village,” says Wil.
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The 6-year-old Tijn suffered from brain stem cancer and gained national fame when in December 2016 he and his father came to the Glass House in Breda. Tijn was involved in his illness and therefore wanted to paint as many nails as possible to raise money for the Red Cross.
He even got his own place in the house of the radio DJs to do this and raised no less than 2.5 million euros. The following year he was also committed to getting the Netherlands massively painting nails, by selling jars of nail polish in his favorite colors. The boy died in July 2017 at the age of six.
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