For PiJo, so pure and radiant.

Some people come into our lives and immediately bring joy to our world. Such a man was mr PiJo. Always happy, always hard working, always sincere. We, from the Joy of a Toy Foundation and the van Kooten family in the Netherlands have lost a great friend. But he was more than a friend to us. He was our hero. We have never met a more caring and loving man than PiJo. The children at the orphanage have loved him dearly, because he was like a father to them. Without him they were not going to be where they are now.

We are so thankful for all what he has done. He was helping everybody, everywhere, all the time. Whenever I, BaShiMwamba, was tired or feeling down, I would only have to talk to PiJo to be uplifted again. He was calling me “father” and indeed I loved him as if he was my own son. I admired him, because he was representing life in his purest form. I considered him to be the kindest man, shining as the sun at daytime and as a star at night. His heart was so full of love. Love for his wife, love for his children and love for his fellow men. He was an inspiration to all of us. And without him the world looks empty to us. Everybody at the schools, the clinic and the orphanage should honour this great man. We should talk about him with the greatest respect possible. He was a short man in length, but he was a great man in his behaviour and in his actions. Wherever we will go we will carry him in our heart. He will not be forgotten. His reflection will shine on in all our lives.

We wish his family strength in these days of sadness. But you should also show pride. You can be proud of all the joy PiJo has brought to so many people. He brought us comfort, he brought us love, he brought us light. He made the world a better place. That is why we will love him forever.

Mr Arie van Kooten, Mrs Dyness van Kooten- Kalwala, the whole van Kooten family, all members of the Joy of a Toy foundation.