A SAD GOODBYE TO

A SAD GOODBYE TO OUR DEAR FRIENDS

It is with great sadness that we mourn the passing of our two dear colleagues and friends ANTONIO DUARTE DA CRUZ, a truly wonderful character who was an essential member of the Stageco team for 34 years, and GIL BEULLENS, a young, shining star whose life and blossoming career has been tragically cut short.

ANTONIO was loved by everyone who came into contact with him. He worked on so many of our biggest projects and tours, all over the world, and his presence was unmistakable. With his endless crazy stories, he was responsible for so many laughs and smiles, leaving an indelible impression wherever he went.

Antonio’s commitment to Stageco and our clients’ needs was peerless. Even though he was entitled to retire last year, he was still excited by his work and could not bear the prospect of letting down his colleagues. He genuinely lived for the road and fought like a warrior until the end, hoping that his health would improve and allow him to join his crew one more time. To see him leave us in these circumstances was tragic.

We are all heartbroken by the news and we offer our deepest condolences to his beloved wife Bie and sons Gil and Christof, and to everyone whose lives were touched by our great friend.

Antonio, thank you for all those years we shared. Take care wherever you are and, as you would say, “Doet maar zo!”

Antonio Duarte Da Cruz GIL BEULLENS had been a valued young member of Stageco’s crew since 2017. Due to the impact of the COVID pandemic, however, he took on some temporary work for a crane company. On February

4th, while helping to dismantle a tower crane, Gil fell from a height of 28 metres and passed away later that day due to his injuries. He was a mere 23 years old.

Possessing a perfect but rare combination of youthful energy and serious attitude to business, Gil joined our team in Tildonk fresh from school although he soon shook off the ‘rookie’ label. With fierce dedication and a maturity that far exceeded his years, he learned his craft quickly and worked towards his goals on-site with laser-sharp focus, while living life to the full away from the job.

When COVID brought the events industry to a halt and slowed Stageco down, it did not hold Gil back. While he patiently awaited the return of live events, his passion for working at height led him into the field of crane construction – a job that gave him the flexibility to take time off whenever we needed his skills. Despite the nickname ‘Kleine’ (little one) lovingly sticking to him, it quickly became clear to everyone he was made of the real stuff and destined for bigger things. This spring, his dream of going out on to the road was finally about to come true with his scheduled permanent return to Stageco as part of the steel team for the forthcoming Rammstein tour. Just as things were picking up and our industry was coming back to life, the news of his loss has hit us very hard.

Stageco has lost one of its finest, most promising youngsters, but above all our team will miss a great friend, a wonderful colleague and a genuinely brilliant person who showed us how to enjoy life each and every day.

Our hearts go out to Gil’s parents Katia and Klaus, his sister Sam, and his many, many friends. Both Gil and Antonio will forever be missed, but will always remain a treasured part of the Stageco family.