Ferry Zandvliet

Ferry spoke to our 500 member San Diego Rotary Club, and received a standing ovation at the end of his presentation. His speaking and presentation skills are outstanding, and he relates his story to the audience very well. His connected with not just our members, but also the 50 high school students that were in attendance. He took the time after the program to meet with the students and fully relate his story. The students commented that they now better understand how to overcome adversity and setbacks in life. I highly recommend Ferry as a speaker for any audience.

Ferry Zandvliet spoke to the Summerlin Club in Las Vegas recently about his experience as a terrorist shooting survivor in Paris in 2015. The personal journey he has traveled since the incident is full of inspiration, compassion, and optimism. This incredible young man is spreading the message of Peace, Understanding, and Fairness that Rotary embraces so fully. Ferry has a love of life that only someone who nearly lost his can exhibit. His command of English is excellent. I am honored to have had the experience of entertaining Ferry in my home, and at the Summerlin Club. He is welcome back anytime.

Our project about “connection” has been introduced by Ferry. The students of the Grafisch Lyceum Utrecht were very interested in his inspiring story. He shares his thougts and message in a very light-hearted yet intrusive way and handles questions professionally. I highly recommend Ferry as a guest-speaker for schools and universities. His story fits recent developments and Ferry is very open about the phases of acceptance and recovery which he has been through in order to develop his view on the world and his actions to improve it. Our students were served “food for thought” about the effects of a victim role/perspective and how to break through that by taking control over your life in case of misery. We look forward to welcoming Ferry again soon!

Ferry visited the Dublin LinkedIn office in February 2019. His presentation was focused on how to overcome setbacks in your life and actively choosing not to be angry. The feedback on Ferry's session was great; people took a lot from his story and got inspired by the way that Ferry has handled his traumatic experience. Ferry's presentation is one that fits many different organizations and companies, because we all face challenges on a daily base and the story that Ferry tells is a very positive one.

This afternoon I attended a meeting of police executives of my regional unit. The keynote speaker was Ferry Zandvliet, one of the survivors of the terrorist attack at the Bataclan, Paris in 2015. Prior to his story I had some skepticism. Has he told the story of the Bataclan too often? Has it not become a standard story or does he “just make money” out of this experience? Non of that proved true! It was the story of empathy, of prejudgement about “fortune seekers” (refugees), of PTSD and about the questionable role of the media (in their hunger to score a juicy story). It was also a story with many learning points. The added value of the family liasion officer (FLO) as we use in the DVI process and how we prioritize the interrogation of a witness above psychological support. But above all it was a story of a second chance in life and what the value is of a small compliment or support to someone who needs it.

Today Ferry Zandvliet told his story about his ordeal in the Bataclan theatre. In the audience where over 150 colleagues who had served in Afghanistan. His story is indelible. The shooting, the reptile brain, the powerlessness and sorrow changed him forever. The audience was touched by the way Ferry refused to be a victim. How he put his anger into actions by helping others. This is extremely powerful to hear. We need to hear stories like this at the corps.