Erasmus MC honors teacher killed in shooting: "it won't be the same without him"

The teacher killed in one of two shootings in Rotterdam on Thursday was a familiar face and a valued lecturer and colleague at Erasmus MC. The Rotterdam hospital announced this in a portrait of 43-year-old Jurgen Damen, who had worked for Erasmus MC since 2013 and was shot in a hospital classroom on Thursday.

"When I think of Jurgen, I think of a very passionate teacher, someone who taught with heart and soul," said Maarten Frens, vice dean of Erasmus MC. "Jurgen was someone who worked not only with his head but also with his heart." Frens praised the late lecturer's flair, humor, and passion, calling him a key figure. "Jurgen did everything he could to make our students good doctors. One thing is certain: without Jurgen, nothing will ever be the same."

In addition to his work as a university lecturer and head of the clinical internship, Damen also worked as a general practitioner in Rotterdam-Zuid. In an internal interview for the Department of General Practice, he once said that he drew a lot of energy from this combination, the Erasmus MC reported. Patrick Bindels, head of that department, praised his mentality. "You have to help people, you have to make knowledge accessible so people can learn," he said. Jurgen felt he still had a lot to do, so it's all the more difficult that his life has now ended so abruptly."

Within the Erasmus MC, dejection prevails, the statement says. "There are big emotions that will resonate for a long time," Bindels stated. "That's what I see in everyone now. This won't just go away." At the same time, he stressed that the victim would stand up for his team during this sad time. "We're going to have to do that, too. We're going to need each other very much to bear this incredible loss."