Huh, what?! Dead in bed for 4 years? How is this possible? How can you live in a house with 4 siblings and no one discovers you are dead for 4 years? Wouldn't that smell a little? There were no questions raised after they had not seen or even heard their brother, who lives in the same house, for 4 years? What kind of family is this? Do they not celebrate or get together for annual occations (holidays, birthdays, etc)? I suspect possible foul play, but if there is none, i imagine this is one weird creepy family.
Furthermore, did anyone else notice the huge age gap with siblings? 71 the oldest and 44 the youngest? Thier mom pretty mature when she had her last child... interested in this family's background and history... this could possibly help explain how something as crazy as this could happen.

By Thats the craziest f-ing thing I've ever heard! | June 23, 2010 2:05 PM

This doesn't make any sort of sense at all. Five people from the same family sharing a small terraced house, one of them dies and no one notices? Are you sure the translation of the story is correct?

By How very weird! | June 23, 2010 3:31 PM

I agree with the last comment. It looks a little weird.

By Second reader | June 23, 2010 4:07 PM

My wife's eldest sister is 23 years older than she is and everyone in the family is normal, except me. Hence, we can assume that for Dutch families the normality limit for sibling age differences is between 23 and 27 years. However, are the Fries really Dutch?

By Vogon Poet | June 23, 2010 5:15 PM

This sounds very suspicious.I thought that their would be a horrendous smell aswell.

By Declan | June 23, 2010 8:19 PM

Amazing! I suppose we can just chalk this up to the depth and warmth of Dutch culture and family closeness. I have the impression, sometimes, that half the Dutch population can go missing and the other half would never know... or care.

By Quince | June 23, 2010 8:30 PM

There had to be money involved. When all else fails, look to the money.

By Mommyanne | June 23, 2010 9:26 PM

What a blessing that 5 members of this family remained single, and the gene pool stopped in a little terrace house.

By jaycee | June 23, 2010 11:14 PM

Chances are his body ended up mummified - it happens a lot when a person dies in a room where air conditioning is running. Also bear in mind that each of the people in the home was elderly - it seems entirely feasible, if a bit odd, that they just assumed that he was fine and being unsociable and were happy enough to ignore him like he wanted.

By Julie | June 23, 2010 11:23 PM

this has to be dutch individualism at its extreme!
some old guy says 'leave me alone!' and his own family really lets him be, for not a week or a month but 4 years?!
the siblings must all have been having a really bad cold, to not have smelt something nasty. this has got to the funniest story ever, most satirical parody of this cold-distant dutch society ever, except that it actually happened.

By i can't believe this | June 24, 2010 6:03 AM

Well, I dunno just how wierd this is. After all, the laid-back, tolerant, permissive, welfare state in NL has been dying for even longer, and has anyone noticed the smell? (Unless the Dutch are a race, a gender or a sexual option, rather than a small and still comparatively tolerant nation, this posting should fall within the criteria of acceptability).

By peter waterman | June 24, 2010 8:20 AM

Smell, flies and not been seen going out for essential shopping for food should have raised alarm bells.
Birthday and Christmas would have been a time to check on him too, even he asked not to be disturbed.

By Wim | June 24, 2010 8:28 AM

Apparently they were all part of this weird little religious cult that didn't believe in medical intervention and didn't do anything unless the eldest brother allowed them to.

By CW | June 24, 2010 9:04 AM

@ How very weird
The translation is correct. Other people from their neighbourhood say that the 'family' has a strange reputation. A bit introverted or something, but indeed, it's very strange that something is possible nowadays.

By M. Schuurman | June 24, 2010 10:25 AM

For four years and he didnt go out to eat or buy food??
or maybe everybody thought he had a big dinner four years ago will last him another four

By Calis | June 24, 2010 11:02 AM

Of course there are days when we all went to be left alone, but being being left alone for 4 years sure takes the cake. I bet he had one of those hidden under the floor boards too…

http://scallywagandvagabond.com/2010/06/dutch-man-lies-dead-in-his-room-for-4-years/

By Pete | June 24, 2010 11:53 PM

How justified was this guy's request to be left alone? Indeed, very much so given the manifistations of this dauting story. Horrible evil siblings to say the least. Too bad he didnt deal with those heartless siblings in much more midevil way.

By Tom Van Landers | June 26, 2010 5:22 PM

I can understand this, as I married into a Dutch family, whom did not accept me. I went days and weeks without interaction. When returning for a 3 week visit a few years ago, none of the kids came to visit; we did meet for a dinner (we paid, of course) but they could have gone another ten years without seeing me. How sad, even though the Dutch are said to be tolerant, it goes only so far. Never did find out why they resented me, as conversation was limited to Dutch, even though the language was difficult for me..yes, they could speak fluent English, but determined not to do it. Their loss not mine, but I had to smile at this story because I lived it enough to know it could truly happen. You had to live there to know. What you see isn't always what you get. As a tourist, I was treated one way; as a wife to a Dutch man, treated another way. We now live in USA, where my Dutch man is loved by all and especially his unique accent. If I moved back to Holland, I would end up as this man dead and no one caring.

By Barbara | June 29, 2010 1:18 AM