Onze eigen Nederlandse top surffotograaf, Ydwer, heeft afgelopen week een flink ongeluk gehad tijdens het foilen.

On Thursday 4th February, Ydwer was surf foiling at Noordwijk in the Netherlands when his foil hit the ground and he was thrown forward. Landing on his head he crushed the C6 vertebra in his spine. Unable to move in the water he was rescued by the friends he was surfing with and immediately rushed to hospital where no time was wasted to get him into the operating theatre. Within 12 hours he was able to come off the ventilator, but remained on the ICU ward due to low blood pressure.

By day 3 (Sunday) his blood pressure had stabilised without medication, so he has been transferred to a neurology ward.

Ydwer is conscious, able to communicate and think clearly. Though he can speak, it takes a lot of effort and his words come only slowly. He remembers his accident, however, as yet he still only has some limited movement in his arms.

Ydwer is feeling something very very far away when you touch him, the doctors still cannot say whether this will prove positive long term; only that his situation is very serious.

After regular consultation by the excellent doctors, the only thing for sure is that Ydwer, his girlfriend Marije and their family have a long journey ahead of them.

Importantly, the doctors in the neurology department are already planning to keep moving his pace of recovery forward with some rehabilitation starting today.

Due to Covid Marije is only able to visit him for a short period of time each afternoon, but he has assured her that he feels safe in the hospital; a leading university hospital specialising in spinal care.

Ydwer has always really enjoyed sharing his images and projects through Instagram and wanted to communicate a message on here so that the wider kiteboarding and outdoor community that he’s deeply involved with have a clear update of his situation.

No matter how short, the messages he has received so far are delivered to him by Marije each day and she says that all the positive energy is really helping.

Thanks Jim (Kiteworld) for writing this for us. This was the hardest post in my life I’ve done. xxx Ydwer & Marije.

We wensen hem een spoedig herstel toe en veel sterkte natuurlijk ook voor Marije.

Er is vast wel iemand die tzt zijn kamernummer/ziekenhuis door an geven zodat we voor de verandering Ydwer eens kunnen overspoelen met mooie kaartjes/plaatjes.