Aad van Toor has much admiration for his brother Bas, who ended up in a wheelchair nine years ago and is largely paralyzed. He still has humor, says Aad.
The 82-year-old Aad, who lives in Spain with his wife for much of the year, is currently in the Netherlands to see his children and grandchildren. He also visited his brother Bas, whose health has deteriorated in recent years.
“Yet I never hear him complain,” Aad tells Story. “He gets through it with his humor. It won’t get any worse than it is now with him. He can do very little. He is in a wheelchair and can only move one hand.”
Bas, known as clown Bassie of the duo Bassie and Adriaan, ended up in a wheelchair due to complications after surgery on his carotid artery. A cardiac arrest and stroke resulted in paralysis on one side. “And yet that doesn’t get him down,” says Aad, who has much admiration for his brother.
“He gets through it with his humor. To this day. In his wheelchair he can’t do much, but he enjoys what he can do. For example, watching television, especially comedy programs and the old conferences of Wim Kan, among others,” says Aad. “Then you hear him laugh loudly. Isn’t that fantastic?”
The family is “very grateful” that Bas is still in their lives. “A few times he really looked death in the eye. Every time he managed to save himself and in two months he will be ninety. Perhaps because he is so positive in life.”