On Wednesday afternoon, three men from Overveen, Heemstede and Zandvoort were awarded a silver medal by their mayor in the Heemstede town hall. They didn’t hesitate for a moment in October last year when they saw an accident on the Leidsevaart in Heemstede and saved the victim’s life.
On that particular Tuesday afternoon, the driver of a passenger car probably became unwell behind the wheel and collided head-on with another vehicle. Her car then hit the water. Mark van Harlingen, René Heideman and Nanne Vencken saw it happen and immediately took action.
With jacket and all
“I drove from work to my parents to pick up my children,” says Zandvoort resident Mark van Harlingen. “The car behind me crashed into an oncoming car. I saw that happen in the mirror. The car drove off the embankment and ended up upside down in the water. I knew I had an orange hammer in the car. That made me With my coat and all and my watch still on, I went into the water without thinking.”
“The water was too deep to stand, so I swam to the car,” Van Harlingen explains. “With five or six punches, I went through the window. Together with Nanne I got the car to the side. Then the woman behind the wheel also regained consciousness. I pulled over again, hypothermic and with bleeding hands. .”
“It was freezing and people went into the water to save someone”
Zandvoort Mayor David Moolenburgh presented Van Harlingen with the silver medal and a certificate. He is proud of his resident: “It is enormously commendable that people like Mark help without hesitation. It was freezing and people immediately went into the water to save someone from a car. As Zandvoort, we can really be proud of a resident like Mark.”
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René Heideman from Overveen was on his bicycle when he saw the accident. He didn’t hesitate for a second either. “I was sitting four meters away, that car rolled straight into the Leidsevaart. I locked my bicycle and put my phone in the bicycle bag. And I jumped into the water together with Nanne and Mark.”
“You know you’re in the front row and you have to act”
The men did not consult with each other, it happened automatically, says Heideman. “You are very shocked and you know that you are in the front row and that you have to act. Fortunately, it went well.”
Bloemendaal mayor Ankie Broekers-Knol beams: “I am very proud of René Heideman. Also of the other two of course. I must say, I think it’s great what he has done. You don’t just jump into that cold Leidsevaart. We are really I was very proud. The day after the accident I immediately went to Heideman with a bouquet of flowers and a handwritten card.”
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Nanne Vencken from Heemstede, who was only 16, was also on the bike. “I was just driving behind Mr. Heideman. I went into the water, I grabbed the hood of the car and the reeds with my other hand, so that the car could get to the side.”
With a big laugh: “I was standing there afterwards, completely wet and in my underpants.” Nanne is happy with the medal and the certificate: “It feels like you are the king, or at least like you have really done something good.”
Catch up
Mayor Astrid Nienhuis van Heemstede hosted the meeting, the accident took place in her municipality. “I think it’s great that we can organize it this way. Three special residents from three municipalities, but still together. They haven’t seen each other since the incident. They can catch up.”
“He stays calm, he goes to help, he does his thing”
16-year-old Nanne was a bit late, he got wet on his way to the town hall. Nienhuis can laugh about it. “Adolescents and being on time; I know that from home. It would have been symbolic if he had arrived here with a wet suit. We waited for him with love, because it is a special moment.”
Nienhuis continues: “I think it’s very nice that someone his age sees something like this happen: he stays calm, he goes to help, he does his thing. And I just heard from his mother that he had bought groceries for his friends. That’s him just bring it, as if this was just an intermezzo. I am very proud of these heroes.”
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Jan de Bie Leuvling Tjeenk spoke on behalf of the board of the Royal Society for the Rescue of Drowned Persons. “Awarding three silver medals at the same time is unique. The silver medal means that it was a heroic rescue. And it was: it was cold and the Leidsevaart is quite deep.”
“The actions of these heroes saved a human life. We are always happy and grateful when we can crown such an act. Because this shows that random passers-by do not think, but act and save a life.”