“Sometimes one person leaves a message that is bigger than life itself,” writes former PSV player Gerald Vanenburg. He is talking about his daughter Jaimy, who died in August 2024. She was a woman, with a story as described in books. So her partner Joep has now done the same.
“She dreamed of writing a book. A story that would inspire others to really live,” says father Gerald. The titles were already ready, as were the stories. The book just had to be written together. Although her story almost did that itself.
Jaimy Vanenburg
Jaimy was a young woman from Eindhoven, who was only allowed to live to be 32 years old. She went through a lot, underwent a double lung transplant, was in a coma, suffered a cardiac arrest, suffered from lifelong lung disease and overcame cancer. Eventually her body was spent.
She was a lawyer, mother of son Lenny and ‘above all, a bon vivant’. For years she kept track of what she experienced via her Instagram channel. “Every time she got back up again, until the final blow was delivered. Unexpected,” writes Joep.
Don’t forget to live
Just before she died, Jaimy made the outline for her book. ‘They fit perfectly’ was the working title: referring to her ‘new’ lungs. Ultimately, her Joep wrote it out further and it became Forget Not To Live.
“I did my best, Jaim,” Joep writes in the foreword. “And I hope that by sharing your story, your dreams have come true a little further. That the world has become a little more beautiful. And I hope – but that is purely self-interest – that your son, Lenny, when he grows up and reads this book, is filled with pride every time. That you are his mother and that you are in him. What an incredible gift.”
The book Jaimy by Joep Scheepers is from December 9 to order.