Where is Ruben Van Assouw Now? – The Dear Edward series for Apple TV+ follows a young boy who is the sole survivor of a plane crash and depicts his struggle to cope with the aftermath of the tragedy. The show is directed by renowned TV writer and producer Jason Katims. It is based on the novel of the same name by famous author Ann Napolitano. (Dear Edward Season Premiere Recap)
On May 12, 2010, while approaching Tripoli International Airport, Afriqiyah Airways aircraft 771 crashed, killing 103 of the 104 passengers on board. Nine-year-old Ruben Van Assouw was the only survivor. A 9-year-old Dutch child named Ruben was traveling home after a safari trip with his parents, Trudy and Patrick, and his brother, Enzo; all three people perished in the collision.
If you want to know more about Ruben Van Assouw and his current whereabouts, keep reading below.
Who is Ruben Van Assouw?
When the close-knit Assouw family boarded their scheduled flight that fateful May afternoon, they likely had no idea that their lives were about to take a dramatic turn for the worst. At 6:01 p.m. local time, the passenger aircraft impacted the ground at a speed of 262 knots, just 1,200 metres from its destination runway (302 miles per hour). Worst of all, 103 people perished in the fire that began immediately after the hit, including Ruben’s mother, Trudy, age 41, father, Patrick, age 40, and brother Enzo, age 11.
Only Ruben was found amongst the dispersed wreckage among the 93 passengers and 11 crew members. Ruben remained fastened in his seat. The subsequent four hours of successful surgery at Tripoli’s El Khadra hospital to treat the multiple leg fractures delayed his recovery. The boy’s initial inability to move a portion of his damaged body raised concerns that he had suffered brain damage, but he eventually made a full recovery.
Ruben was returned to his native Tilburg, Netherlands, on May 15 by his aunt, uncle, and doctor, who ensured his privacy at all times. His aunt and uncle commented at the time, “Considering the circumstances, Ruben is doing well.” He spends a considerable amount of time napping. Occasionally, he will be wide awake and in the clear. Ruben was made aware of the situation this morning. He is aware of how little his family has become, as it now consists of only himself. Together, we will ensure Ruben’s future success in life. These “family relatives” also included his grandparents from Tilburg.
Where is Ruben Van Assouw Today?
Ruben conducted a telephone interview with the Dutch daily De Telegraaf in which he stated that all he wanted was to return home, before he discovered the full truth from his loved ones. The nine-year-old child stated, “I don’t know how I got here.” “I want to return home, get bathed and dressed, and go permanently. I want to get moving. Even years later, he struggled to comprehend how the trip his family had planned to commemorate his parents’ 12.5th wedding anniversary (a long-standing Dutch tradition) had ended in such tragedy. Nevertheless, the fact that his aunt and uncle were able to adopt him is a blessing.
Ruben, his aunt, and his uncle have all kept a low profile while processing their sorrow and life experiences in different ways over the past thirteen years. Since little is known about them or their location, we can only presume that they are attempting to move on while keeping the memories of their loved ones. Ruben’s surviving family members, who are now in their early 20s, likely followed their pledge and protected him in the Netherlands, where he was born.
The narrative for this Apple TV+ original was inspired by Ann Napolitano’s forthcoming book “Dear Edward,” which was inspired by her personal experiences with Ruben. She once stated that I needed to know that he was in good health. However, I had no means of knowing this, so I imagined several scenarios to convince myself that the youngster was safe.
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