A Difficult Inheritance
Alex, Richard, and Jessica endured a challenging childhood marked byโ aโ strained relationship with their father, Jan. They describe him as a stern and, at times, abusive figure, a stark contrast to the image presented by his later partner, Astrid.Richard, who developed PTSD consequently of his experiences, recalls physical altercations,โฃ saying, “I really thought: he breaks me.” Heโฃ also notes a disturbing pattern of recognizing similar behaviors in himself, contributing to his decision not to have children. Jessica and Alex corroborate a difficult home life, while their half-sister, Barbara, recounts a different experience – not abuse, but an unsettling physical presence that she preferred not toโฃ discuss. As they grew older, contact with their father dwindled.
The โฃsiblings’ feelings were complex when they learned of Jan’s illness and subsequent decision โto pursue euthanasia in 2020. Richard admitted, “Iโค really thought: it’s over.” While not experiencing deep grief,they hoped to finally close that chapter of their lives,but the process of settling their father’s estate provedโ unexpectedly elaborate.
The estate’s management fell to โคAstrid, who, โคaccording to the siblings, actively sought toโฃ isolate them from โฃJan. After hisโค death, Astrid’s lack of cooperation stalled the inheritance process. The situation became โขfurther entangled when the children discovered,โฃ viaโฃ Instagram, that Astrid had remarried to Renรฉ and that he โคhad moved intoโข their childhood home. Tragically,Astrid died shortly after due to complications from surgery.
A year passed with no progress, prompting the siblings to โขseek assistance in resolving the matter. Renรฉ,now a widower,expressed a willingness to cooperate,admitting he was unfamiliar with the details of the estate andโ facing financial difficulties. With the help โขof criminal lawyer Sabien Kneepkens, the estate was finally settled. Alex, Richard, and Renรฉ each received โฌ9,500, bringing a long-awaited conclusion to a difficult and protracted process. Alex expressed satisfaction with the outcome,โข stating, “I am fully content about it, so a โฃnice bow can be โaround.”
This case echoes a previous story featured in Where is my legacy, following Jos, Rita, โandโ their brother Henk as they navigated the complexities of their father’s estate and uncovered a surprising revelation.
