Long lost loves reunite again
I thought last year was the last time I would ever see him.
A Toti love story spanning four decades had another finale when the ill-fated lovers reunited one more time, as part of a Dutch television series that connects lost loves.
Arie Kuijper of the Netherlands met South African Doris Grobler while visiting his uncle and aunt in Witbank in 1973.
It was love at first sight, even though Arie could only speak Dutch and Doris had to converse in Afrikaans.
The 20-year-old star-crossed lovers bid each other a tearful goodbye when Arie had to return home, but plans were made for him to immigrate to South Africa and take over his uncle’s bakery.
When he couldn’t get a visa, Doris visited him in The Netherlands in December 1975, where she was introduced to his family. Unfortunately her mother was hospitalised with heart problems and she was forced to return home.
But not before the couple got engaged on Doris’ birthday on 18 December and plans were made to get married as soon as Arie could return to South Africa.
His visa was approved, but his father was hospitalised with lung cancer and he chose to stay and look after his mother. The pair kept in contact for a while, but then gradually grew apart.
Six years ago Arie started to search for Doris, with his wife’s consent, and contacted the KRO TV programme ‘Memories’, which tracks down lost lovers and reunites them.
Director of Memories, Geeske Hattuma and her team tracked Doris to Toti, where she had moved to from Witbank, after the death of her husband in 1997.
She was living with Hennie Borman, whom she continues to live with today.
For the reunion, Geeske and her cameraman flew into Toti and filmed the lost loves meeting for the first time on the beach and at The View Boutique Hotel and Spa last July.
Arie returned home and it was thought that was the conclusion to the love story.
However in April, Memories contacted Doris and flew her and her daughter Yolande to Arie’s town IJmuiden in Holland in May for an update on the TV programme.
“Unfortunately it rained for the first two days we were there, so we could not do any filming,” said Doris.
“Then Arie’s son suffered a heart attack while playing soccer and he spent all his free time at the hospital.”
Unbeknown to him, Doris was eagerly awaiting their reunion, as the TV programme had kept her visit a secret.
While waiting for his son to recover, they filmed Doris at the beautiful tourist destination, Zaanse Schans.
“The last time I was in Holland was in January 1976 and everything had changed after 40 years,” said Doris.”I never thought I would see it again.”
The pair finally reunited when the TV crew filmed them together at Arie’s home. “The funny thing is he stays in the same street as his parents did all that time ago,” said Doris. “I even remembered where his parents’ house was.
It was so good to see Arie again. I thought last year was the last time I would ever see him.
We met his wife Aria and she was very nice to us. They saw us off at the airport and showered us with so many gifts. We all got along so well.
I enjoyed my visit so much, but I was disappointed we couldn’t spend much time alone together to catch up like we did in Toti.”
