I married my best friend and soulmate, Harald, on June 10, 1995, in Makena, Maui. Our love story began the moment he spotted me at the airport. Harald loved me. Deeply. Steadfastly. It was a love that became part of his very being. His last words to me before he passed were, “You were the prize.”

Our connection was undeniable. It was written in the stars. On a Monday night, on a flight home from Las Vegas, our eyes met. That pause, that moment of recognition, was everything. Two weeks later, walking out of the Denver Broncos locker room, I saw him again. He was being shuttled out, and he looked straight at me and said, “Aren’t you the girl from the airplane?” Two weeks after that, again on a Monday, he walked into CB & Potts in Fort Collins where I was attending CSU. There he was for a third time, standing there as if it was already written. We were engaged three months later. Married six months after that.

Above all, Harald was a protector. His love was not just spoken; it was lived. He shielded our family, keeping us safe, physically, emotionally, completely. His presence alone brought a profound sense of security. His protective nature was fierce, instinctive, and utterly innate.

Family was his foundation. He found his greatest purpose in being a husband, father, and grandfather. He was fiercely proud of Ashlee, Terran, Aven, and Kian.

To our children, he was more than a father; he was an experience. He was the architect of challenges, daring them to swim farther, tempting them to try the weirdest foods, turning life into a playful test of courage. He was their human jungle gym, a giant of love they could climb on.

He spoke to them in the language of epic stories. His depth wasn't hidden; it was shared through his love for Marvel, Star Wars, Avatar, and Game of Thrones. These worlds were the landscapes of their connection.

And he was their protector, in a way that can never be replaced. At 6'7" and 307 pounds of pure muscle, he was not just a man but a fortress. His presence was the unshakeable ground beneath their feet. He was theirs. His unwavering belief in them became the very bedrock of their own confidence as they found their way in the world.

He had the profound privilege of coaching Terran, a chapter that mattered deeply. Their bond was an orchestra of deep conversations and shared music, where Harald’s worldly depth taught Terran not what to think, but how to think, cultivating a critical mind.

With Ashlee, he found a sanctuary. He would lose himself in the still waters of her soul, her love, her heart. In her presence, the world slowed down, and he found a calm that centered his entire being.

And in Aven and Kian, he saw his own creative fire reflected. Their shared language of superheroes, their deep dives into character motivations and complex plots, this was where another piece of Harald lived, beautifully mixed and mirrored in his sons.

They are the living, breathing continuation of Harald.

And then came the light of his life: his grandchildren. Olivia, Milo, Lucy, and Emi. They were his pure joy. His entire being would light up in their presence, a quiet, radiant happiness that needed no words. He was their "Bampa" (Bomb-pa), a title he wore with pride, taking them on walks with his handmade swords, reminding them he would always be their protector.

And then there is Jack Harald, the grandson who carries his name, a promise he never got to hold who will forever carry his 'Bampa."

Harald lived with strength, purpose, and unshakable devotion. He was a guardian, a leader, and the heart of our family.

He is the love of my life.

Harald was born in September, 1967 to Otto Ernst Hasselbach and Annerita Matilda Doesburg (Annerita Hasselbach).

Otto was an Agronomist employed by the Dutch government. His job took him to many different places in the world, as he specialized in tropical soils.

Otto and his wife Rita, oldest son, Ernst-Paul, Harald and youngest daughter, Hella lived in the Netherlands, Suriname, Indonesia, Africa and eventually settled in Vancouver, Canada.

In each country the kids went to international English schools. Their mother tongue at home was Dutch. Otto was from the Netherlands and Rita was from Suriname which used to be a Dutch colony.

Otto decided to leave his job and settle in a growing, economically, friendly country, to Canada in 1980. His job was taking him to increasingly hostile 3rd world countries as the kids were reaching their teens and wanted a better life and future for the children.

In Canada, all the kids flourished in sports, especially Harald where is football career would begin. At the age of 14, Harald had never been exposed to American football. As Harald grew, taller and started lifting weights the high school football coach urged him to join the football team. He was then scouted by the Washington Huskies and his successful football career began bringing him to the CFL (Calgary Stampeders), and a years long stint with the Denver Broncos where he met his wife, Aundrea and eventually would go on to have 4 children.

In 2008, Harald tragically lost his eldest brother, Ernst-Paul (now a Dutch TV presenter) in a car accident in Norway. In 2014, Harald lost his dad to multiple myeloma cancer at the age of 86.

Eventually in 2023 Harald at the age 56 would lose his battle with cancer just as his dad. His mother, Rita now resides in the Netherlands and his younger sister, Hella (a flight attendant turned interior designer) resides in Calgary, Canada with her family.

Harald fell in love with weightlifting inspired by Arnold and Pumping Iron, a pivotal time in his life. The first time I saw him, I thought, He’s a Greek god. It became his non-negotiable, his daily peace. Benching 48 reps of 225 pounds at 48 years old was an achievement he carried with pride. Strength was his fortitude.

He had always dreamed of writing his own comic book. For years, he collected them, and his Pinterest boards became a testament to the universe he resonated with, a collection of strength, armor, warriors, blades, beasts, tattoos, sci-fi suits, and fierce, mythic figures.

These were not just images. They were larger-than-life characters who embodied what he lived:power, loyalty, danger, curiosity, grit, and a code you don’t break.

Every image reflected something in him: The warriors his protector nature. The armor, how he shielded the people he loved. The creatures, his reverence for craftsmanship, precision and respect. The tattoos, the way he marked meaning onto his body. The futuristic suits, the part of him that always dreamed. The sculpted figures, the discipline of being physically extraordinary. It was raw, masculine, primal, imaginative. A collage of identity, not curated for aesthetics, but for instinct.

That board is the Harald those close to him knew: the guardian, the fighter, the storyteller, the craftsman, the man who lived between reality and myth. This wasn’t a Pinterest board. It was a map of his mind. The Pinterest Board

He was articulate. Deeply knowledgeable. His presence was impactful. A mercenary in spirit: hardworking, loyal, unwavering. But his greatest devotion was reserved for his family. He was a mentor and father figure to many, instilling discipline, strength, and integrity in the young men he coached.

He loved music in all its forms, The Smiths’ “This Charming Man” was his anthem. He was proudly Dutch, fluent, a dual citizen. He found joy in epic worlds, from the visuals of Avatar, a private showing at James Cameron’s house remains the gift he would never forget, to the lore of Marvel. He saw his own spirit in the Hulk’s raw strength and Wolverine’s unbreakable will.

His own forging prowess led to one of his proudest moments: working alongside champion Ben Abbott. And he built that castle, the one that stops people in their tracks, from leftover scraps and trips to Hobby Lobby after helping Aven and Kian with their science project. Because he was, at heart, a child. His imagination was never-ending.

With so many layers, so many interests and accomplishments, Harald remained, fundamentally, a simple man. He needed very little to be happy. And in that simplicity, he found everything.

He lived with quiet strength and purpose, always, unshakably, true to who he was.