Piet passed away this afternoon in hospital in Leeuwarden from the effects of cancer. The weatherman of Omrop Fryslân and Omroep Max has turned 65.
Broadcasting boss Jan Slagter calls it terribly sad that we will never hear him say his characteristic bouncer ‘oant moarn’ again. “We are grateful to Piet for everything he has done for us and wish the relatives a lot of strength.”
Thursday on TV
“It is unbelievable how brave Piet endured his illness,” says Slagter. “As long as it lasted, he wanted to continue working.” The weatherman last presented on television on Thursday, and he could still be heard on the radio on Friday. His latest weather report can be seen on Twitter, and this moves many people.
View the latest weather forecast from Piet from last Thursday below:
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Piet started his career as a weather forecaster in 1985 at Omrop Fryslân. There is also great sadness, says editor-in-chief Sybren Terpstra† “He was invaluable and was always there for us. Above all, he was a very nice man to work with.”
‘Shocked and sad’
Later the weatherman broke through on national television. He started at SBS6 and gave a daily weather forecast from a varying location in the Netherlands. A spokesperson for SBS says that Piet ‘will forever have a special place in the history of SBS6 and our hearts’. “We are shocked and saddened by the death of Piet, the Netherlands’ most special weather forecaster and much-loved former colleague.”
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Also the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) calls the death sad. “Piet was a valued meteorological partner.”
Last January Piet was appointed Knight in the Order of Orange-Nassau. Paulusma received this royal decoration from the commissioner of the King of Friesland Arno Brok and mayor of Harlingen Ina Sjerps. “Paulusma showed himself to be a true ambassador for Fryslân and the Frisian language”, Brok responds. He let us know on social media to be upset by the death of Piet. “His weather forecast was an anchor for many.”
Maurice Middendorp, meteorologist at Buienradar, calls Piet’s death a shock for the meteorology world. “He was one of my great examples.”
‘Never wave again’
Middendorp is also from Friesland, and met Piet there about fifteen years ago. “I then went for a walk with my family, and we happened to run into Piet. He was just going to record the weather forecast.” Middendorp was then allowed to say the well-known ‘oant moarn’. “In retrospect it is very nice that I experienced that of course, and many others with me.”
That can be seen on Twitter. “Never oant moarn, never wave again”, tweets Jannette from Harlingen. Ellen tweets that Piet was at her school two weeks ago. “Happy and cheerful. What a loss for all of us.” The women’s team of Drachtster Boys also reflects on Piet’s visit. “Great experience. Not to oant moarn Piet, but to ever.”
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Many people call Piet an icon. Meteorologist Middendorp agrees. “He really had his own style. Nice outside, among people, talking about the weather. Piet did a fantastic job. It was him again.”
Middendorp is not the only weather presenter who is shocked by the death of his colleague. “I have no words for it”, the weather woman responds Helga van Leur† Also meteorologist Gerrit Hiemstra mentions Pete an icon. “He was literally and figuratively among the people. He will be missed by a lot of people.”
“Piet, thank you very much for everything!”
That Piet has touched many different people can be read on the social media of famous Dutch people. For example, radio DJ Jeroen Kijk in de Vegte looks back on his radio broadcasts in which he regularly spoke to the weatherman when severe weather presented itself. “I have always admired his drive and work ethic”, he writes on Twitter† Also radio DJ Coen Swijnenberg has been stripped of it. “Jeez. Piet Paulusma passed away. Such a terribly good guy.”
fellow Frisian Sipke Jan Bousema lets you know that he will miss Paulusma enormously. “An iconic and trusted weatherman who was always there and went for it. Piet, big tank for everything!”
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