Speech

https://open.spotify.com/track/5NgXLG5PSZ3ANr25I6cDJu?si=X3NOfX7bR-KArVDRN0Stmw

Ladies and gentlemen,

If I could have your attention, please! For those who don’t know us, we are Jan Maurits and Idwer, Hjalmars parents. We have the pleasure of sharing a few words about our beloved Hjalmar today. We can imagine it must be strange for the American family to have one day this peculiar Dutch guy in your life and that you had to get accustomed to this person. 

Let’s start with the fact that Hjalmar made quite the entrance into this world on April 6, 1995. The birth was to be at home and he was so eager to join us that he arrived faster than the midwife could!
 

Growing up with two big sisters, Laura and Ingelise, Hjalmar had to learn to hold his own. I mean, can you imagine? A shy little boy trying to get a word in sideways? There he was, raising his finger like a little schoolboy, saying: ‘Am I allowed to say something too…?’

The boy nextdoor, Nino, Hjalmars best friend, was his partner in crime. Together, they dug deep holes in the sandbox in front of the houses and I can only imagine the adventures they had on their bikes and scooters. Remarkably, they managed to avoid any accidents.

Hjalmar smoothly sailed through elementary school, and it wasn’t until the eighth grade that dyslexia was diagnosed. But that didn’t stop him! After elementary school, Hjalmar moved on to VMBO, and then, just like his granddads, he decided to dive into the world of technology. But instead of automotive engineering or welding on a ship, he chose aerospace technology! Yes, our Hjalmar had dreams of being a mechanic—not just any mechanic, but one who works on airplanes! That practical side of him was put to the test when he had to replace a flat tire on a car. The garage told him the nuts were on incorrectly, and Hjalmar, ever the quick thinker, replied, “But that’s how it works on an airplane!” Well my friend, this isn’t exactly a Boeing 747!

After completing his training as an aircraft mechanic, he decided to further his studies in aerospace engineering. ‘I am 20 and far too young to start my working life,’ he told us. And what do you do when you have a heavy study load? You take up rowing, of course! To extend the time of borrowing more money from the government. 

Hjalmar joined an eight-man crew, and that’s when the transformation began for our little homebody.

So let’s talk about sports. At the age of 10 Hjalmar started with baseball. Along with his loyal friends Alex, Joris, and Nino, Hjalmar was a passionate team member. He became the catcher of the team. The car rides to the games were legendary. I mean, who could forget the backseat where the humor was so thick you could cut it with a knife? And then there was that famous saying: “Don’t lick the windows, Hjalmar!” Yes, that was the moment we all thought, “Maybe he should find a hobby!’ 

Baseball was just the beginning of  his sports career. During his studies, Hjalmar found another passion: rowing. He and his team were so dedicated that they even went on training camps to France. And who would have thought that Idwer did knit hats for the team? That has become a tradition! I can just imagine them on the water, wearing those colorful hats, thinking, “If we can’t win, at least we’ll lose in style!”

After his studies, Hjalmar discovered cycling. And not just a little bit of cycling; no, he climbed the legendary Alp d'Huez. And if that wasn’t impressive enough, he also did  the Ronde van Vlaanderen/ the tour of Flanders, a monumental 257 kilometers! For those who are not on the metric system: That’s 160 miles,all in one day. Hjalmar, if you ever want to consider a career in sports, know that you’re already a legend in our eyes.

But Hjalmar is not just an athlete; he has a career as unique as he is. Driving expensive cars off the train as a side job. Designing a flying car, as an aircraft mechanic—who does that? He even drove a Porsche with an airplane engine. If that’s not proof of his love for speed, I don’t know what is! And now he’s working at Blue Origin. Yes, that’s a rising trend in the transportation sector, and I can’t wait to see where he’s going to take us all next!

Now, here’s a fun fact: Hjalmar claims he didn’t drink until he was 21! He was the guy who never went out—until that all changed. Suddenly, he was off to college, doing an internship in South Africa, and even traveling through Namibia! And just when we thought he’d take a breather, he decided to hop over to Vietnam for two weeks.’I found some really cheap tickets’, he proclaimed. I mean, who needs a break when you can have a world tour?

Throughout all his sports and studies, Hjalmar mostly hung out with guys. So, when he finally saw his chance with Nicole, he grabbed it with both hands! “I met some people in Vietnam, and I’m going to visit them in America…” he said. Little did we know, the “monkey came out of the sleeve,” and he finally revealed the real reason for those visits—introducing us to his beautiful, lovely Nicole, by far our favorite daughter-in-law!

So here we are, celebrating, Hjalmar has it all figured out: a wonderful wife, a great family (in law), and a job that quite literally takes him to new heights!

Let’s raise a glass to Hjalmar and Nicole! We wish you the blessings of our Heavenly Father and may your adventures together be as exciting as Hjalmar’s journey so far!

Cheers!