Jan Dulles and Caroline Mol processed the loss of their daughter with therapy

Jan and Caroline have been happily together for years. "We met each other like at least 95 percent of Volendammers, namely in the pub," says Jan. The spark flew between the two immediately, but it turned out that they had already met before.

The media reported that Caroline was a big fan of Jan, who is part of the 3JS. "Jan himself threw that into the media," Caroline says, laughing. Jan admits that he had exaggerated this a bit 'for fun'. "Everyone in Volendam is a fan of the 3JS."

Caroline was indeed a fan of the 3JS and had her picture taken with Jan when she was thirteen. Jan was thirty at the time. "She was at a performance for the first time and she really wanted to have her picture taken with me," says Jan. He adds that they didn't see each other for seven years after that. Then they got back in touch.

Their age difference has never been a problem. "I was quite older for my age and therefore more mature," Caroline explains. "And I never got older than thirty," Jan jokes.

Caroline will not soon forget her first meeting with her parents-in-law. Rumors had been going around for a long time that Jan had a new girlfriend, but the step of introducing his girlfriend at home was a big one for the singer. "I had already had a few relationships. My mother was worried when a new relationship came along. She was never that keen on that."

At some point Caroline thought it was taking too long and went to her in-laws herself. "It was around Christmas and I walked in and said: 'It's me!'" Jan was very happy about it afterwards, because it meant he didn't have to 'be there' himself.

Jan and Caroline are now married, although it wasn't through a traditional proposal. "I didn't ask her," Jan confesses. During an appointment at the city hall to sign a cohabitation agreement, he decided to ask her anyway. "That was the very last moment I could ask, so I got down on my knees."

Caroline had one condition: to get married on September 13 (see video below), the birthday of their deceased daughter Donna. She passed away in 2020 due to complications resulting from a tear in her diaphragm. The couple looks back on that 'terrible' period. "At the beginning you think you will never be able to laugh or do anything fun again," says Caroline. Jan: "Nobody knows how to deal with something like that. It just happens to you."

Therapy helped them through this period. "We went to therapy after being asked by a therapist himself," says Jan. Not weekly, but every few weeks. "Just to tell what you are thinking and feeling at that moment." They followed therapy together for two years, after which Caroline continued alone for another year.

Their other two children, James (6) and Lina (3), are aware of the loss. "Our youngest daughter talks about Donna every day," says Caroline. She has a doll that looks like her deceased sister. "She sleeps and plays with it." James tries to understand the loss in his own way. "You can see him thinking when we talk about it," adds Jan.

Every year Jan and Caroline go to Thailand with their family. "During those weeks we can really pay attention to each other in peace," says Jan. They dream of a holiday home in Spain to spend the winter months. They don't have much more to wish for. "We are happy and have everything."