This week a moving moment took place in a hospital in Utrecht that nobody will soon forget. Eleven-year-old Daan, a brave boy who suffers from an evil brain tumor, had one last wish: a short conversation with his big hero, Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen. What followed, exceeded all the expectations of his family, hospital staff and even Verstappen himself.
Daan has been treatment since he was ninth. His days consist of chemotherapy, operations and a lot of time in bed. But what kept him up was his unconditional love for Formula 1. His room was full of posters of Max, and every race he looked faithfully, no matter how sick he felt. According to his mother, Max Verstappen was “the only reason he sometimes smiled.”
When the Last Wen’s foundation asked him what he wanted to do, he immediately replied: “I want to speak Max Verstappen. Even if it is only one minute.” The foundation did not hesitate for a moment and contacted the Verstappen team. Within a few hours there was already an answer: Max did not just want to call – he wanted to come by personally.
The next day a striking Red Bull bus appeared in front of the hospital. Nurses and patients came to look curiously, and to their surprise Max Verstappen got out. In his hands he wore a signed racing helmet and a Red Bull shirt, especially for Daan.
When he entered Daan’s room, the boy could not believe his eyes. He whispered softly: “Is it you real?” Max nodded, sat down next to him and started talking to him quietly. The conversation was about racing, circuits, but also about courage and perseverance. Max told how brave he found Daan, and that he himself was nervous to meet him.
Together they played a round on a racing simulator, and Daan was even allowed to set up the helmet that Max brought. The hospital staff watched emotionally. Some pented a tear. According to a nurse, it was “the best moment we have ever experienced here.”
When Max said goodbye, he said, “You are stronger than anyone on the grid. You are the real champion.” He promised that if Daan ever felt good enough, he would personally invite him to a Formula 1 race.
The Van Daan family could hardly express their gratitude. In a time of sorrow and uncertainty there was just as pure joy. “He will never forget this again,” said his father. “And we don’t either.”
