Ronald Molendijk ran away crying from the studio of Shownieuws last night. He did not keep it dry when it was about his murdered former colleague Peter R. de Vries. “It’s a weird day.”
Yesterday it was exactly one year ago that Peter R. de Vries was shot after a broadcast of RTL Boulevard. It was extensively reviewed last night in the current programs on television, including in Shownieuws. “I will never forget that by coincidence all three of us did the broadcast last year,” said Patty Brard.
Ronald in tears
Patty sat behind the desk both last year and yesterday evening, together with Bart Ettekoven and Ronald Molendijk. “I came from Gordon’s birthday, still dressed as some harem girl, because he was also celebrating his departure to Dubai. I know that John van den Heuvel was taken away suddenly, I was in the car and thought: what is happening?”
Once arrived in the Shownieuws studio, the impact became clear to Patty. “Then I came in and then I saw Ronald sitting in tears. I thought: what is happening? That day will never leave your mind. But I assume that Ronald, who knew him best from us, had a hard time today.”
studio out
Ronald then: “Yes, it is a very strange day today. umm…”
Then he breaks, after which Bart quickly takes over. In the background you can hear Ronald sobbing from the emotions. Shortly afterwards, his empty stool comes into view. “Very understandable, Ronald”, says presenter Airen Mylene.
Bart: “You also think: damn it, how is it possible, with all those indications that we now have afterwards from those people who posted at that garage, which was also passed on to the security of Boulevard! Nothing has been done about it and nothing has been done about it.”
Back again
Then Patty sees colleague Ronald appear at the desk again. “Ronald has just returned. He was really in doubt last year, I remember, until two minutes before the broadcast whether he would sit down or not.”
Ronald heard the sad news at the time in a fairly unpolished way from the security of Shownieuws. He looks back: “Of course that security man never meant it that way. He also doesn’t know that I made 450 broadcasts from Boulevard with Peter.”
“So much news!”
Initially it did not occur to Ronald which Peter this security guard was talking about. “I thought, what are you talking about? I said to him: ‘Gosh, really annoying for you, I don’t know Peter.’ Then I walked in and he said: ‘De Vries.’ I really thought: what?! (…) I had so much fun with that guy, you just don’t want to know.”
Ronald is positive that progress is being made in the investigation into Peter’s murder. “We are now a year further and I’m so happy that research is just being done. I am not always of the police and government in the Netherlands, but really: hats off.”