Etienne Vaessen unintentionally played a leading role in the news on Saturday evening, September 30. The RKC goalkeeper was hit hard on the head in the match against Ajax in a collision with Ajax striker Brian Brobbey. He was then given preventive resuscitation on the field. There was great relief when the damage was limited to a serious concussion, but the collision changed the life of the Breda goalkeeper.
In a extensive interview in De Telegraaf Vaessen says that before that match in question he never really thought about how he got out the door to go to the stadium. “Since it happened, I send a message to my girlfriend Alexandra before every match saying I love her.”
Vaessen is a goalkeeper with a lot of bravado and is not afraid of the devil. He throws himself in front of an oncoming striker without hesitation. It is his style of goalkeeping and he cannot and does not want to change it. “Then I become a lesser goalkeeper. Then there is always a greater chance that you can catch something.”
Headache and irritation
The goalkeeper takes the risks in the field for granted. “Goalkeeping is my profession. In football, collisions happen more often. That’s why I chose to play with a helmet. But my girlfriend and my friends insisted on it.”
After a month and a half of absence, Vaessen goalkeeper again in the last six matches before the winter break. His game did not suffer, but the serious head injury did more to him than he could have imagined.
“I suffered from headaches and irritation for three weeks. After that I didn’t notice any physical consequences, but I did suffer mentally. For example, I found it difficult to go to my son Zian’s school because I didn’t feel like it. in all those questions all the time.”
Three weeks at sea
His employer thought along with Vaessen, who has nothing but praise for the way everyone at the club has acted. “It was great how RKC took care of me. When I was in the hospital, my girlfriend was informed every three or four hours by the doctor or the team manager about how I was doing. Everything showed the warmth of RKC.”
To further recover, Vaessen spent three weeks on the coast on the advice of the club management. “It was quiet there and I could walk on the beach and pay attention to my son Zian again. Until then, I just lay on the couch with a headache.”
Images made an impression
The moment itself is erased by the enormous blow. The RKC goalkeeper only remembers that he was on a stretcher in the locker room. Four days later he saw the images for the first time. They made an impression: “That week in Zeeland made it easier for me to distance myself from everything that had happened, but I still suffered from dreams and unpleasant thoughts. They just didn’t go away. The goalkeeper coach has brought in a mental coach.”
Vaessen found the solution in EMDR, a therapy for people who continue to suffer from the consequences of a shocking event. “After the treatment I felt like I had a shit about everything again. Through the therapy I have regained that attitude.”