Loek Hartog experienced a truly special birthday surprise, as Ollie Millroy, whose life the Dutchman had saved exactly one month earlier in Shanghai, visited the Porsche driver and his business partner Wiep Foeken in Amsterdam.
Millroy was joined on the trip by his wife Fern, and the quartet met at a local cafe on Tuesday, a day after Hartog’s birthday.
It marked the first meeting between the two drivers since their encounter in the Shanghai hospital, offering the first opportunity to calmly reflect on the dramatic events with some distance. It was also the first in-person meeting with Fern Millroy, who had previously sent Hartog an emotional video message during a Dutch TV talk show appearance.
“Brothers from two different mothers. Ollie and I met in circumstances neither of us could ever have imagined,” Hartog wrote on social media.
“Yesterday, one day after my birthday, he and Fern secretly flew from Dubai to Amsterdam, completely surprised me with lunch, and we spent the afternoon catching up on everything that has happened since and, more importantly, talking about what we can actually do with it all going forward. Somewhere along the way, Ollie, Fern, Wiep and I also just became friends.”
Ollie Millroy then presented him with an extraordinary birthday gift: A Rolex featuring an engraved message of thanks, allowing Hartog to carry the memory of his heroics wherever he goes. The duo also commemorated the moment with a framed joint photograph.
“As if them being there wasn’t enough, they gave me this. I still don’t really have the right reaction for someone handing me a Rolex across a table. I hope the first photo says enough. It is an incredibly special gift that I’ll keep and cherish forever,” Hartog said.
“But the thing I’m probably most grateful for is something you can’t really photograph. On 5 September, Ollie was somebody I barely knew. Yesterday we were sitting together in Amsterdam talking like we have known each other for years. Life is weird. In this case, in a pretty beautiful way.”
Millroy replied in the comments: “So much fun coming to surprise you and it’s the least we could do! Our story has only just started mate. We have a duty now to make sure that no two drivers have to meet again under the same circumstances. Excited to embark on this journey with one of my best friends.”
To which Hartog responded jokingly: “For somebody that’s been drugged for the larger part of the month you have come up with some pretty crazy good ideas. I can’t imagine what you will be like at full steam.”
Hartog: “Still trying to process”
In a separate post by Millroy on Instagram, capturing the surprise on video, Hartog reiterated that he was completely in the dark.
“Still trying to process yesterday, to be honest. And because it probably isn’t obvious from the post: I genuinely had absolutely no idea any of this was happening,” he wrote in a comment.
“You guys coming all the way to Amsterdam, arranging everything and somehow keeping it a complete surprise was already more than enough to leave me speechless.”
“Then the watch on top of that… completely insane. I still don’t really know what to say about it. It’s an incredibly special gift and something I’ll keep for the rest of my life, but honestly the part that means the most is that you both came all this way and that we got to spend such a special day together.”
“The whole thing still feels slightly surreal this morning. Very, very grateful for you guys and for the friendship that has somehow come out of everything. Future dates are already being investigated.”
The posts drew prominent reactions across the racing paddock shortly after publication.
“Class act and very nicely done with the amazing gift. A watch represents the most precious gift of all: Time. Loek’s actions gave you the gift of more time, and I am sure every time he wears that watch he will remember what it represents,” Porsche IMSA driver Ryan Hardwick wrote in a comment. Several other well-known GT drivers reacted with emojis and brief comments.
Loek Hartog pulled Ollie Millroy from the burning wreck on 5 September after Millroy was hit by two other cars at the hairpin of the Shanghai International Circuit, making headlines worldwide.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: motorsport.com
