Pretoria paramedics say goodbye to teacher, friend

Local paramedics and emergency services sadly said goodbye to a former colleague and Pretoria resident, Vandré van Vuuren (47).

On 8 May, local paramedic Xander Loubser announced the sad news about Van Vuuren’s death on social media.

“It was sudden and very sad to hear of his passing,” Loubser told Rekord on Monday.

Van Vuuren died after a stroke in a hospital in Kimberley where he worked as an emergency helicopter paramedic.

He leaves behind two daughters.

“He was my lecturer at university, my friend and colleague. He worked with me and also worked for me. I will miss him terribly,” said Loubser.

Loubser told of an eight-year friendship with Van Vuuren and said he (Van Vuuren) trained “some of the best” paramedics at the Central University of Technology in the Free State.

He shared an emotional letter on Facebook of his best memories with Van Vuuren.

Letter (translated):

– VvV -Wow, so suddenly you were taken away from us. I say this as if we are not dealing with this regularly. Life is short. We know it, we work with it, we see it, we live it. But we do not always realise it. I realise this for sure again tonight, because you’re just gone after 8 years.

Everything I know about rope rescue, knots, high angle rescue and of life I learned from the legend VvV.

At university I was just one of your students. I still giggling softly now when I think back to the year you walked into the 3rd year NDip students’ class, you announced that you were the group co-ordinator, you laughed and said: ‘This is a big f#ckup’ and we all laughed because we agreed.

When VvV shouted: ‘3DE JAAAAAAARS !!!’ we scrambled and got the ‘job’ done, something that not many other lecturers could manage.

We chewed rocks, literally, in Thaba Nchu and in Ficksburg on our 2nd-year mountain hikes with you. We lay under the night light and watched stars and you shared your knowledge with us. We went on a mission as a group of 6 men, and you broke my fear of heights and the unknown.

I overcame it because you stood under me and held my feet firmly and said ‘Trust Me’ with a reassuring voice. I took out my phone on the edge of that rock and took a ‘selfie’ while I was in your hands, it was clear that I was no longer scared.

You were serious about your ‘mission’ and we persevered. I dragged you into the icy water (by accident) on this very mission and you kept your head up and said ‘Step on me, step on me’ and let me climb over you.

Then you shouted at the other 4 men: “Go, Go, Go, Go” and so you stayed in that icy water and allowed us all to climb over you so we could stay dry. How much more humble and faithful to our mission could you get?

We actually bonded when we walked alone in the field and when you told me about your health and your two daughters. I do not believe it is necessary for me to tell them how much you loved them. After that, I was no longer your student, I became your colleague. We received and gave training together, we also saved people’s lives together.

You built my community members’ trust and basic knowledge with me, and also made some of the ‘tannies’ hearts beat faster while you taught. I never told you, but one of those old ladies quietly said: ‘He can kick his shoes under my bed at any time’.

All I have of you now is your photos, voice notes and best memories. For me, it may be good enough until we meet again, but I wonder how your family and children will go on without you. I can only pray for the Lord’s grace and comfort for them during this painful time.

Rest softly Vandré van Vuuren. I’m going to miss you.

– Xander Loubser

Do you have more information about the story?

Please send us an email to editorial@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.

For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East

For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram