It is with great regret that I have to share with all of you that RuggaWorld has lost one of its family members as I received news this morning that Nelius, a founding member of this site, unfortunately passed away over the weekend.
Nelius suffered a heart attack over the weekend and unfortunately passed away from complications and the severity of the attack.
Those of you that have been around from the inception of this website or for a long time will remember Nelius as one of the founding members of this website when he, myself, Rasputin, Deon, Dawie and Boertjie had this crazy idea of creating a home for like-minded individuals who love the game of rugby.
He was heavily involved in the initial setup when we just started out on a google-based blog and was also instrumental when we moved to our current platform which formed the foundation of what we call our rugby cyber-home today.
Through this website I have personally made many friends, most of which I have not even met in real life of which Nelius was one. It does not make losing a friend like this any easier however, since through all the online conversations and kakpraat sessions we have with one another, and even the odd phone call or six it is a very sad day when we have to say goodbye to one of our own.
Nelius has not been active so much on RuggaWorld in the last couple of years, but through continued correspondence with him over email and telephone conversations I know he never lost his passion for which was his baby, RuggaWorld. He still logged on and read almost every day and also never lost his passion for rugby through his trade which was website development in which he helped other people setup their own sporting websites.
My last telephone conversation with Nelius was about a month ago, and he still had that same passion for the game of rugby and this site as the day we started out.
RuggaWorld would therefore like to pay tribute to a friend, and founding member of this site and pray that his family and friends and all those close to him find peace in knowing without him, this family we know as RuggaWorld might not even have existed and that he played a massive part in bringing a lot of people together even if only through this website.
Rest in peace Nelius.
Drewan Baird. Oudtshoorn. 25 Julie 2010. 10h25. Nelius, seun van een van Oudtshoorn se oudste en getrouste munisipale amptenare, Boet Vermaak, en Willa, en broer van die redakteur van die Oudtshoorn Courant, Christo, is Sondagoggend om 02h30 in die George Hospitaal dood nadat hy breindood verklaar is en die lewens-apparaat ontkoppel is. Nelius was 47 jaar oud.
Volgens Christo het Nelius Saterdagmiddag ‘n hartaanval gekry in ‘n straat op Knysna. Die ambulansdienste het sy hart weer aan die gang gekry, maar nie betyds om sy lewe te red nie. Hy is na George afgevoer vir verdere mediese aandag.
Die begrafnisrelings is nog onbekend, maar die seremonie sal op Oudtshoorn gehou word. Die familie wag op die aankoms van Nelius se ander broer uit Perth, Australië.
Ek het in 2006/7 sowat 9 maande lank saam met Nelius gewerk. Wat my sal bybly is ‘n spontane, helder glimlag, ‘n onvoorwaardelike toewyding aan die Springbokke, en ‘n vegtershouding.
Nelius se dood kom as ‘n groot skok en OO se innige meegevoel gaan uit na die familielede.
July 26th, 2010 at 9:35 am
Our thoughts & prayers are with his family and loved ones left behind.
July 26th, 2010 at 9:39 am
condolences to Nelius’ family, friends and colleagues…
July 26th, 2010 at 9:50 am
jammer om te lees, gedagtes met sy familie, wat was sy nick gewees?
July 26th, 2010 at 9:51 am
RIP Nelius, you will be missed.
July 26th, 2010 at 9:52 am
My condolences.
July 26th, 2010 at 9:54 am
RIP!
July 26th, 2010 at 10:22 am
Cheers Nelius
Here’s trusting that your rest is peaceful
My immense condolences to his family
This website probably would not have grown beyond where it started without him driving and inspiring the rest of us…
July 26th, 2010 at 10:33 am
RIP Nelius…
July 26th, 2010 at 10:37 am
Reply to Vloye @ 9:50 am:
Kandas.
July 26th, 2010 at 10:44 am
Very sad… RIP Nelius!
July 26th, 2010 at 10:45 am
Sorry dude, RIP.
July 26th, 2010 at 10:51 am
Kandas
RIP, thanks for setting up such a great forum for us.
July 26th, 2010 at 11:05 am
Did not know him but sound like a friend is going to be missed.
My thoughts are with family and friends.
May his legacy live on through the people he touch
July 26th, 2010 at 11:09 am
I remember Nelius yes!
Thanks for a great blog space. Hope we can keep your legacy going!
July 26th, 2010 at 11:20 am
Condolences to friends & family. Jammer om te hoor.
July 26th, 2010 at 11:25 am
RIP Nelius
July 26th, 2010 at 11:30 am
Sad news. Had many phone
conversations with him.
As Morne said he was a
real shining light when
we started out.
R I P
July 26th, 2010 at 12:38 pm
RIP Nelius
July 26th, 2010 at 12:44 pm
I met Nelius a few times, the rugbyman from Knysna, also shared some time with him on another rugby initiative, SARSU.
He was passionate indeed!
Rest in piece Nelius, sad to hear of your passing.
July 26th, 2010 at 1:42 pm
Never had what seems to have been the priviledge of knowing Nelius but heart-felt sympathies go out to his family. Thank you for providing a rugby home like and sometimes not so like minded fans can go to without getting insulted for daring to be different.
July 26th, 2010 at 4:43 pm
This is very very sad news.
Kandas was a lovely kind man with a heart of gold.
I am very sorry to hear this.
July 26th, 2010 at 5:35 pm
Very sad news.
Thank you Nelius (Kandas) for what you helped create here.
July 26th, 2010 at 7:03 pm
Nelius was never married that I know of, neither did he have children that I’m aware of.
July 26th, 2010 at 7:53 pm
Sad news.
Rest in peace
mooistap
July 26th, 2010 at 8:12 pm
RIP Nelius.
4 jaar pad met hom gestap.
My web-resource www thealltimecoach com was die eind-produk van sy volgehoue samewerking en vernuf.
Groot gaping word in my lewe gelaat.
Nelius makker – dankie BAIE BAIE DANKIE !!!
July 26th, 2010 at 8:19 pm
Vreeslike skok om te hoor.
Kandas – baie dankie vir alles wat jy hier gedoen het.
RIP
Cheers
July 26th, 2010 at 8:33 pm
Kandas se rugby CV wat hy eenkeer gepost het.
I played scrumhalf and inside centre at school in Kimberley (up to standard 9) and Matric in Bellville. Loved to walk up and down the line-outs and chirp the opposing forwards. Got klapped good and solid for that a couple of times but managed to preserve my good looks. Always kept my face out of the action.
Off to Stellenbosch University and played mainly scrumhalf in the hostels league and a couple of appearances for Vics/Maties. That was the time when Freddie Ferreira played and his dad had more sheep that mine so Freddie played Province.
Rugby career came to an abrupt end when that monsterous wing Niel Burger decided one day that there was really no need to side step me and continued to run all over me. After being stretchered off the field my talents were only on display in a couple of social games in the platteland.
My Company is currently very much involved with SWDRFU on the marketing side.
I think I know quite enough about the game and everything that goes with it to be able to talk with you guys. Definitely not an expert on the technical side and will leave that for PA, Bruce, TG and the likes.
Cheers
July 26th, 2010 at 8:38 pm
Reply to Methos @ 8:33 pm:
We lost a great friend.
July 26th, 2010 at 8:54 pm
Reply to The Brand @ 8:12 pm:
Bly om te sien JY lewe nog.
July 26th, 2010 at 9:39 pm
May God give him an easy and pleasant journey and shower blessings on his grave
July 27th, 2010 at 3:15 am
Hopefully one day his idea of a Super rugby team based on the Garden Route comes to fruition…
July 27th, 2010 at 8:41 am
RIP Kandas
July 27th, 2010 at 11:28 am
You can shed tears that he is gone,
or you can smile because he has lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that he’ll come back,
or you can open your eyes and see all he’s left.
Your heart can be empty because you can’t see him,
or you can be full of the love you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday,
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.
You can remember him only that he is gone,
or you can cherish his memory and let it live on.
You can cry and close your mind,
be empty and turn your back.
Or you can do what he’d want:
smile, open your eyes, love and go on.”
RIP Nelius/Kandas
July 27th, 2010 at 11:39 am
Reply to Tafelberg @ 11:28 am:
Nicely said, I believe Nelius always looked for the positive. He would appreciate that poem.
July 27th, 2010 at 12:20 pm
Very sad indeed Kandas will be missed on Sharksworld too. Rest in peace, friend. Condolences to all who knew him.
July 27th, 2010 at 1:51 pm
I was saddened to hear the news about Nelius/Kandas. Good man. Had some good chats with him over the phone especially in the Sarsu days.
God bless you…
May you rest in peace boetie.
Death is no more than a turning of us over from time to eternity. ~William Penn
July 28th, 2010 at 8:53 am
The thread has been updates with some more details surrounding the tragic circumstances.
Thanks to Willem for the info.
July 28th, 2010 at 1:48 pm
OO
“Wat my sal bybly is ‘n spontane, helder glimlag”
Exactly how i imagined him to be, he seemed to exude so much of it.
Nice poem from Tafel. All the best ones depart early.