Fabienne Arras (66), wife of actor Herbert Flack, has said goodbye in the Antwerp Bourla Theater. The woman accidentally crashed a holiday in Spain two weeks ago. At the end of the funeral, Flack (71) gave a catchy speech about the woman who had been waiting for him for 26 years and had cut herself off. “I weep for what has passed. I laugh at what was. I have lost you, but I will never lose your love. ”
–
A red urn on a tower of white flowers took center stage on Saturday morning in the Bourla. Fabienne Arras had worked as a hostess in that theater in the heart of Antwerp until her retirement in 2014, and she still gave guided tours there. Now she was said goodbye. Due to the consequences of the corona virus, only 126 guests were able to enter the room.
Photo: rr
At the end of the funeral, her husband Herbert Flack stepped on the stage. He kissed the urn and gave a speech. In it, he reflected on how he fell madly in love with Fabienne 33 years ago, when she worked as a press assistant in the theater and had a lot of contact with him in that position. “It was a short circuit, the sparks flying around, the boards of the Bourla scorched.”
But it was a forbidden love. They were both married. Fabienne left her husband, but Flack stayed with his then wife Mimi, who had health problems. And so Fabienne remained his mistress for 26 years. “What do you say to someone who waited 26 years and carved himself out, parks himself to see another, in this case me, happy?”
When Mimi died, Flack proposed to his girlfriend. The two married in 2014. He was very happy with her. Until an unfortunate fall, on July 2 on holiday in Spain, ended their fairy tale. “I have lost you, but I will never lose your love. I know that. That is the greatest comfort for me today. ”
This is the full speech of Herbert Flack:
“I lost Fabienne, but not her love. It was in the middle of a story that she was snatched away. Our story. That was far from finished. A story that started 33 years ago. A story that could count on a lot of derision and opposition. Le chien aboie, la caravane passe. Notre caravane. (The dog barks, the caravan moves on. Our caravan, ed.).”
–Foto: if
“It was our story, yes. It was pure and genuine. It was a story of all-encompassing love. I first saw her in this theater (the Bourla Theater, ed.). It was a short circuit, the sparks flying around, the boards of the Bourla scorched. At the time, director Ivonne Lex bombarded me with a first-level actor and gave me The tamed fairies by Shakespeare. I didn’t know at the time that I was the one to be tamed. ”
“Fabienne was entrusted with KNS public relations. I remember as if it was yesterday how she praised our performance on the newborn Cultuurmarkt as if it were her own soul. She distributed photos and signatures. And especially came through the day with a kind of adolescent flirtation. My hand touched her thigh for a moment, she smiled, and I melted like wax in the afternoon sun. ”
“We were both married. It was forbidden fruits we picked. Feeling guilty fought against passion. ”
“I went to the then Innovation for an interview. Ivonne Lex wanted us to sell the theater to the people. A persistent hangover gave me a splitting headache. Fabienne was there to guide me. I asked for an aspirin. She gave me a pain reliever for life. ”
“The guilt remained, the passion grew, and the Bourla just didn’t burn down. Fabienne was… Everyone knew her. Because she was there for everyone too. Because she made time for everyone. A great lady, literally and figuratively. A high class lady.”
“Fabienne was a vessel of empathy for everyone who needed her. Her popularity reached far beyond the theater walls. When we walked on the street together, it was Fabienne who was recognized. Not me. She unwillingly relegated me to an extra. And who knows me a little, knows that being an extra is not my greatest quality. I was first plan after all. But we could laugh about it. ”
–Foto: if
“We laughed a lot, we celebrated life and our love, no matter how big the obstacles. When Fabienne made the decision to end her marriage, and I almost simultaneously promised to keep caring for my sick Mimi, everything could have exploded easily, but not with Fabienne, due to this imbalance. I already said it: a barrel of empathy. ”
“She listened to what I needed to be happy. Did she thereby put aside her own dream? Doubtless. Was she unhappy all the time? No, but perhaps more than she revealed. She restored a balance and thereby saved our relationship. She always did that in turbulent times, even later. She knew she was my port and that this ship needed an anchor point. She also knew that she, only she, could take that place. Do not claim. Fabienne never claimed anything. She gave.”
“When, after a wonderful career in this house – this Toneelhuis – she was treated to a memorable farewell party … yes, I got down on my knees. Mimi, that other strong lady in my life, was gone. And two women had embraced each other by now. Even more: Mimi asked Fabienne to take good care of me. How great can love be? ”
“So I got down on my knees, in public, in the foyer of this theater, and proposed to her. Two months later I was allowed to call her Mrs. Flack. May. Because being married to her was a tremendous privilege. ”
“My love
My sweet, my tender, my wonderful love
From clear dawn until the end of the day
I still love you, you know, I love you ”(uit“ The song of the old lovers ”van Jacques Brel)
“What do you say to someone who waited 26 years and scraped himself, parks himself to see another, in this case me, happy? My sweetheart. Woman of my life. Girlfriend. Soulmate. Partner the route. ”
“Thank you, thank you, thank you. Thanks for always being there for me. In good and bad days. In the storm and the midday sun. The day before yesterday, yesterday, today and tomorrow. Because if I need you, you will prompt me as you always did. To contain my impulsiveness, with that irresistible charm and smile. And you will protect me from another slip of the tongue. The Pavlov will continue the work you started. And I promise, I promise I will listen. ”
“Lieveke, the past few days my emotions have shot in all directions. I cry. I weep for what is over. I laugh at what was. I’ve lost you, but I’ll never lose your love. I know that. That is the greatest comfort for me today. ”
“I found that beautiful book, full of beautiful quotes, where you had written wisdom in your beautiful calligraphy and collected it everywhere. Edmond Haraucourt once wrote: Partir, c’est mourir un peu (leaving is a bit of dying, ed.). Can I paraphrase those words today? Mourir, c’est partir (dying is leaving, ed.).”
“What we have will always remain. I embrace you with all the love one person can feel for another. And forgive me for letting you go now. ”
“Your guy, your husband, your lover, friend, companion the route. And so much more.”
–View the full funeral ceremony here
–
