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 Previous: Improve Your Receiver Three S Units |  Next: Japan's Prime Minister, Keizo Obuchi, JI1KIT, Hospitalized |
NEWINGTON, CT, Apr 3, 2000--Willem van Tuijl--the 13-year-old boy from the Netherlands wounded during a pirate attack off Honduras--is in the US today. The youngster, the son of Amateur Radio operators Jacco and Jannie van Tuijl, KH2TD and KH2TE, was seriously injured by a single bullet on March 28. His father was able to summon help via the Maritime Mobile Service Net on 20 meters.
Willem van Tuijl, with mom and dad, Jannie and Jacco, KH2TD and KH2TE, at Willem's bedside at Children's Medical Center in Dallas. [ARRL Photo] |
Through contacts with amateurs in the US and elsewhere, the boy and his mother were transported by Honduran authorities to a hospital in La Ceiba, where Willem underwent emergency surgery. Arrangements were made Friday through the office of ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, for Willem to be transported to Children’s Medical Center of Dallas. He’s reported in fair condition there today.
"Willem is great," Jacco van Tuijl said this morning. "He’s the best kid and he’s got enormous willpower." The father said Willem was "talking and smiling" and was aware of his medical situation. "His spirits are very high," he said.
Both parents have had little sleep in the past six days and are nearing exhaustion because of their ordeal. They’re staying at a Ronald McDonald House about two miles from the hospital. "They’re wonderful," van Tuijl said of the McDonald House staff.
The Dallas hospital has agreed to accept Willem as a patient and treat him without guaranteed payment. An SBAir Lifeguard aircraft with a medical team from CMC was dispatched from Dallas to Honduras Friday evening, and the boy and his parents arrived in the US early Saturday morning.
A Fox TV station news crew interviews ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP.
[ARRL Photo] |
The arrangement with Children’s followed contacts by Haynie’s office with the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital--an orthopedic facility that, in turn, recommended Children’s--and with US Rep Pete Sessions. Haynie’s office also was able to make arrangements for the airport in Honduras to remain open past its usual 9 PM closing time to accommodate the flight from the US.
"Without Amateur Radio, this would be a story about a boy who died in a Honduran Hospital," said Haynie in an interview with the Dallas Morning News.
A fund has been established to assist the family. Donations are invited to Willem Fund, c/o Southwest Bank, 1603 LBJ Freeway, Suite 100, Dallas, TX 75234.
Local amateurs in the La Ceiba, Honduras, area have said they will cover Willem’s hospital expenses there. van Tuijl said the Honduran hospital did a good job of treating his son. The family’s 44-foot sailing sloop remains in Roatan. Jacco van Tuijl says family’s cat, "Ketchicat," remains aboard. The vessel and Ketchicat are being taken care of by a local marina, which gave the family a month’s free dockage.
In public statements, both parents have expressed their thanks and gratitude to the Amateur Radio community for their assistance and support. Jacco van Tuijl indicated the family was taking things one day at a time at this point. "It’s a big disaster, yes," van Tuijl said, "but he didn’t die."
The van Tuijls have been cruising various parts of the world since 1995. They obtained their US Amateur Radio licenses during an extended stay in Guam. Last Tuesday, the father and son were in an inflatable dinghy, not far from their 44-foot sailing sloop, anchored behind a reef with a couple of other sailboats in the vicinity some 50 miles off the coast of Honduras.
After spotting four or five men from an open wooden boat board his vessel--where his wife was still aboard--van Tuijl and his son headed back toward their vessel. One of the pirates brandished what appeared to be an automatic weapon when they were about 20 yards away. In ensuing gunfire, the boy was wounded in the abdomen and the dinghy was damaged and flipped over, dumping the pair into the water. van Tuijl said the marauders "got nervous" and soon left the scene after taking the damaged dinghy and outboard motor with them.
van Tuijl managed to get his injured son, bleeding badly, back on board his sailboat, then got on the radio to summon urgent help. Among those responding was Dr Jim Hirschman, K4TCV, a Miami physician, who was able to provide first-aid advice over the air.
Media interest in the story has been high. TV crews and reporters met the boy and his family as they arrived to admit the youngster to Children’s Medical Center. A news conference has been scheduled for this afternoon in Dallas.
| Previous: Improve Your Receiver Three S Units | Next: Japan's Prime Minister, Keizo Obuchi, JI1KIT, Hospitalized |
