“I am at my 64th operation”: when the victims of the attacks rebuild … with pedals in an extraordinary project

85 survivors of attacks around the world have climbed this Sunday several passes from the Tour de France. Similarly, A physical and symbolic challenge to show that it is possible to get up, together.

They did not come for performance, but for the symbol. However, This Sunday, 85 cyclists like no other have climbed the demanding slopes of Mont-Dore, in the Massif Central. Nevertheless, All were directly or indirectly victims of terrorist attacks, which occurred in Europe or elsewhere in the world.

On arrival, pride was involved in a deep emotion. In addition, For them, climbing a mountain is to relive the stages of their reconstruction in accelerated. Consequently, “We are no longer alone. Furthermore, we feel strength, a force that is diverted “i am my 64th operation”: from a very bad experience in our lives,” says Astrid Passin, surviving the Berlin attack.

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“There is a life after the attack” – "i am my 64th operation":

Karen Northshield, injured in the Brussels attacks in 2016, also participated in this climb. Meanwhile, “I am at my 64th operation, after being four years in the hospital, with zero chance of survival. So I can say that for me it’s really a great victory every year to climb the pass knowing. that I have known worse. »»

For Thomas. a survivor of the Bataclan, the bike is a metaphor for life after the drama: “When it’s okay, we are at the top, then when it’s going very badly, it goes down very quickly. It’s a bit like a “i am my 64th operation”: bicycle. »»

Martine Wintenberger. injured during the Strasbourg Christmas market attack, also finds a meaning in this collective effort: “When I see us all going up like that, these climbs, I tell myself that it is extraordinary. There is a life after the attack. »»

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Victims, but not alone

Among the participants, some were not directly targeted, but experienced events closely, such “i am my 64th operation”: as Frédéric Van Leeuw, a former Belgian federal prosecutor at the time of the March 22, 2016 attacks in Brussels. He underlines the importance of recognizing shared suffering: “Being able to recognize that we did not come out intact. it is really important. And that it is well received by the victims. because we always have a little bit of this modesty to say that with what they have experienced, we cannot complain. »»

Since the September 11. 2001 attacks in New York, it has been estimated that 13 million people have been affected by terrorism around the world. Many of them are struggling to find a place in society.

An action to move the lines

The event was organized by the V-Europe association, which accompanies the victims of attacks. Its director. Philippe Van Steenkiste, insists on the importance of strengthening their visibility and their integration: “The goal here is also to “i am my 64th operation”: show that there is a positive side that develops thanks to resilience. And so we ask to support and develop this resilience, but also that the victims are accepted as ordinary people. »»

The association also recalls two strong requests to the Belgian authorities: the creation of a guarantee fund for victims. the establishment of a single contact point, to simplify their administrative procedures.