Newcastle bids farewell to Janneman
After valiantly fighting Fanconi anaemia, a bone marrow disorder which required him to have regular blood donations, for as long as possible, Janneman suffered renal failure and septic shock.
NEWCASTLE – He was more than just a face in the crowd. He was the epitome of self-confidence, the life of the party and a shoulder to lean on when life got tough.
Despite his failing health, Jam (Janneman) van den Berg was the very definition of inner strength and determination.
After valiantly fighting Fanconi anaemia, a bone marrow disorder which required him to have regular blood donations, for as long as possible, Janneman suffered renal failure and septic shock on Saturday night, April 22.
Wrangling throughout the night, he finally succumbed to the inevitable and passed away on Sunday morning, shortly after 3am, at the tender age of only 22 years old.
Yet his memory will not fade into the abyss, and his spirit will forever live on in the hearts of all those who knew and loved him.
Known for his inner strength, Janneman’s very birth reflected the strong man he would become.
“When he was born, Janneman weighed 1.9 kilograms, and he fought to live and never stopped,” his mother, Bebsie Cronje said.
Andrè Cronje, Janneman’s father, said it was Janneman’s personality which set him above others and saw him push himself, on despite his poor health.
“I will never forget his direct honestly, humour, his wit and his need to fight for his life. He also never walked away from a challenge,” said Mr Cronje.
The need to face challenges began in his school days, when he played rugby despite his diminutive size.
“He wanted to show his teachers that nothing could stop him. He eventually started playing hockey, where he excelled,” Mr Cronje said
But his love for rugby never died.
“He was a proud South African rugby supporter, but his favourite team was Australia and he will be buried in his Australian rugby jersey.”
Janneman had a bucket list of things he wanted to do before he died, one of which was to watch Ireland and Wales play at the Millenium Stadium. Unfortunately, this dream was not fulfilled.
Janneman’s interests were not limited to sports; he also loved politics.
He ran for Council during the last regional elections.
“He was passionate about everything he did, and even knew more about politics than I did,” said Mrs Cronje, who herself is a Ward Councillor for the DA in Ward 2, as well as an Exco member.
Another passion of his was Mercedes-Benz cars, which saw him consume as much knowledge about the brand as he could.
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