August 2005

Officially Gerrit has his birthday on February 14th, Valentines Day. However, his family and more specific his sons Nico and Pieter have been working secretly since November 2004, prepairing a SURPRISE PARTY for their Dad.

Normally it is Gerrit getting organised and directing were things have to go, this time up and till to actual surprise party, Gerrit did not have the any idea of what was going to happen.
After a diner with his family, Gerrit was taken to the Hotel Eindhoven for an ice-cream dessert, he thought!
But arriving there in a special prepared room, he was welcomed and song to, by over 80 persons among which family, friends, former colleagues from businesses Gerrit worked for, people from his active moto-cross career, friends from BMX and so on.

Special guests were friends from the English Motocross Federations, the Green family, BMX friends from Latvia, Janis Silins and Aldons Vrublevskis and his wife Zaiga, an old Colleague living in Greece came over, Ton v.d. Breggen and last but not least the man where Gerrit stayed at home, the first time he went to the States and with whom he became close friends, Jaxon Bradley.

All together this was an unforgettable day or better evening for Gerrit. Even today he is surprised about the fact, that at no time he has noticed anything going on, preparing this happening, while his entire family was involved.

Enclosed a few pictures of that memorable evening.