Renate
age 42
Renate was a mother, a daughter, a sister, and a friend. After an unexpected diagnosis, she faced important decisions about the end of her life. With the unwavering support of her Stichting Ambulance Wens team, many of whom she was close to, Renate asked to share an extraordinary day with her closest family and friends as she chose her own grave.
Renate was lucky to count many of the wonderful volunteers at Stichting Ambulance Wens among her good friends. Her support team helped to make her final days not only more comfortable, but certainly more special too.
After arriving at a cemetery in the Netherlands offering natural burial, Renate and her close friend take in their first view of where Renate will eventually rest.
Her next task: choosing just the right spot. In her weakened condition, she is unable to reach the rugged fields of the cemetery herself. With some creativity, FaceTime, and a little help from her mother and her friends, Renate is able to choose her final resting place.
While the day is filled with unexpected laughter (the kind old friends are so good at), in quieter moments, the reality of what Renate and her loved ones are facing is never very far away.
Renate passed away a few weeks after these photographs were taken. This mighty oak tree stands watch near her grave — a grave chosen with extraordinary care and devotion for the brave, funny, kind, and truly exceptional woman who rests within it.
