Latest news with #Hendricks'
IOL News
20-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Celebrating life and legacy: Late Springbok Cornal Hendricks' funeral arrangements
FILE - Former Sprigboks wing Cornal Hendricks passed away after a heart attack. Image: Backpagepix Late Springboks wing Cornal Hendricks will be laid to rest on Sunday following his shock passing last week. The 37-year-old Hendricks suffered a heart attack, 10 years after being diagnosed with a rare heart condition that saw him miss four years of professional rugby. Hendricks made his Springboks debut in 2014, playing 12 Tests and scoring five tries, which included a memorable score against the All Blacks in 2014 when he cut their defences to shreds. After the diagnosis in 2015, doctors advised Hendricks to quit the game. But Hendricks still wanted to keep playing and sought a second opinion. After four years in the wilderness, Hendricks was given a lifeline by the Bulls. A couple of years later, he won the Covid-19 influenced Super Rugby Unlocked title and the Currie Cup with the Bulls, winning the player of the tournament for the latter competition in the 2021-22 season. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ In 2022, Hendricks was close to Springbok selection after playing a starring role for Jake White's team at inside centre. However, he was left out of the squad after then-Bok coach Jacques Nienaber confirmed that the SA Rugby medical team had not given him the 'green light' for selection. After leaving the Bulls in 2024, earning 115 caps and scoring 34 tries across all competitions, Hendricks' rugby journey came full circle after starting his career in Wellington where he grew up. However, he was advised to stop playing in March during Boland's run to the SA Cup semi-finals after complaining of fatigue and shortness of breath. Many have paid tributes to Hendricks over the last week, with the Bulls having a moment of silence and a minute's applause in the 14th minute of their match against the Dragons. The Sharks also had Hendricks' face and the number 14 on the back of their warm-up jerseys ahead of their match against Scarlets last Saturday. This week there will be two memorial services before Hendricks' funeral on Sunday. Boland will host a memorial service on Thursday at Boland Stadium in Wellington, while another memorial service will take place at CRC Paarl on Friday. Hendriks' funeral service will be at the NG Kerk Moedergemeente, Main Road, Wellington, on Sunday. Memorial services and funeral arrangements for the Cornal Hendricks: Thursday, May 22: Memorial Service, 12pm,, Boland Rugby Stadium, Fontein Street, Wellington. Friday, May 23: Memorial Service, 6pm, CRC Paarl, Jan Van Riebeeck Dr, Denneburg, Paarl. Sunday May 25: Funeral Service, 12pm, NG Kerk Moedergemeente, Main Road, Wellington. @JohnGoliath82
The Citizen
15-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Bulls flags at half-mast as fans invited to lay wreaths for Cornal Hendricks
With more tributes pouring in, the Bulls will host a minute's silence followed by applause at the 14th minute against Dragons this Saturday. The Bulls have invited fans to pay tribute to the late Cornal Hendricks by laying flowers or any tokens of remembrance, such as letters or notes, at the iconic bull statue at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria. This will be available via the ground's main gate from 6am to 7pm daily until next week Friday. Then this Saturday, when the Bulls play their last regular-season United Rugby Championship match against Dragons, the stadium's Bulls flags will be flown at half-mast as a sign of respect. There will also be a moment of silence and a minute's applause at the 14th minute (Hendricks' number) of the match. Hendricks remembered Hendricks, a 12-cap Springbok, was a Bulls veteran with 73 caps for the Pretoria union though he started and ended his career at Boland. His Springbok dream was cut short in 2015 when he had to take a three-year break from the game after being diagnosed with a serious heart condition and was told to quit the game. He never gave up, however, and made a return with the Bulls in 2017, where he won the Currie Cup and Super Rugby Unlocked titles with the team. Hendricks was a devastating winger who later on evolved his game and became an equally impactful centre with a zeal for life. He passed away in his home town of Wellington on Wednesday night, reportedly due to a heart attack. Tributes have poured in from players, unions and politicians across the country. A friend, leader and light Speaking on behalf of MyPlayers, the rugby players' and match officials' organisation, former Springbok captain Jean de Villiers said Hendricks was a true example of perseverance, humility and strength. 'Cornal was a teammate, but more than that, he was a brother,' De Villiers said. 'He was down-to-earth, humble and had the biggest heart. That's how we all knew him. He had this incredible energy that filled every room and lifted everyone around him.' De Villiers said Hendricks' journey was never easy but he faced every challenge with courage and faith. 'He carried himself with humility, always putting others first, always showing up with a smile. He gave so much to the game and even more to the people in it. 'His loss is heartbreaking. We've lost a giant of a human being and he will be missed deeply, not just as a rugby player, but as a friend, a leader and a light in our rugby family.' 'Cornal faced challenges many wouldn't come back from' Springbok fullback Willie le Roux said he still remembered Hendricks' Springbok debut against Wales in 2014, where he passed the ball to Hendricks to score in his first game. 'He wore his heart on his sleeve – an absolute legend,' Le Roux said. 'When he walked into a room, he lit it up. He was funny, always had jokes and his attitude was something truly special. Cornal faced challenges many wouldn't come back from, but he did, and with grace. We've lost a fighter and he'll be deeply missed.' Former Springbok and Cheetahs teammate, Oupa Mohoje, said: 'The bereavement of Cornal came as a massive shock to all of us, a person who truly energised the room with positive energy wherever he was. He will sorely be missed. Condolences to his family. May they be strong during this time.'
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Heartwarming reunion at Asension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast NICU
WALTON COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast NICU staff put on their first-ever reunion on Saturday to celebrate their five years in service. 'This is our first reunion. We have had a couple of small ones, but this is our first one. It's five years old. So seeing some of these tiny babies grow into now kindergartners, this is so rewarding just to see the impact we've made on the lives of these families,' the Hendricks family said. Nurses, doctors, and, of course, families all showed up to have some fun while catching up with each other. The NICU opened at Ascension in 2020, at the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak. Since then, they have cared for over 1000 babies and become the only level 2 NICU center in the Walton and Okaloosa County area. PCPD hosts 5th annual bicycle rodeo For some families, this NICU center was their home for months while their babies got the care they needed. They say the staff has a special touch that makes this place comforting for families. 'Knowing that I had to leave my son at the hospital was a traumatizing experience. But knowing that I was leaving them in the hands of these nurses made it so much better,' the Hendricks family said. The Hendricks' baby boy Ethan was born at just 31 weeks. For the first two and a half months of his life, he was being cared for in Ascension's NICU. His parents say the staff made a huge difference in how they handled the difficulties surrounding a premature baby. 'It was an amazing experience here. I wouldn't wish the NICU experience on anybody, but if you did, I would prefer to be at this hospital. It was amazing. They made the experience so much better. We were laughing. We were joking,' the Hendricks family said. The NICU Ascension was able to open because of a donation made by the Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation, who donated over $2 million to fund the unit. Hospital officials say they hope to have more of these events in the future to help connect with the families they take care of beyond the walls of the NICU. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Even in his final seconds of life, first gay imam pushed boundaries
The execution-style killing of an openly gay imam, Muhsin Hendricks, in South Africa has left people in the LGBTQ+ community fearful for their safety - but also determined to forge ahead with the campaign to end their marginalisation in religious circles. Reverend Toni Kruger-Ayebazibwe, an openly gay Christian cleric, told the BBC that Hendricks was a "gentle spirit" who brought light into any room he occupied. "The gap Muhsin leaves is massive," she told the BBC, adding that she knew for a fact that there there were "a large number of queer Muslims around the world who are grief stricken". The 57-year-old was shot dead in what appeared to be a hit on Saturday in the small coastal city of Gqeberha. Initial reports that Cape Town-based Hendricks had been in Gqeberha to perform the wedding ceremony of a gay couple have been dismissed as untrue by his Al-Gurbaah Foundation. "He was visiting Gqeberha to officiate the marriages of two interfaith heterosexual couples when he was tragically shot and killed," it said in a statement. It is unclear why the couples had asked Hendricks to oversee their ceremonies, but it suggests that he was pushing the boundaries, even in the last seconds of his life. Traditional imams in South Africa rarely, if ever, perform the marriage of a Muslim to a non-Muslim - something that Hendricks clearly had no issue with. He had, according to a faith leader that the BBC spoke to, conducted one such marriage ceremony and was on his way to conduct the next one when he was gunned down in his vehicle. Two leading bodies that represent imams - the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) and the United Ulama Council of South Africa (UUCSA) - condemned Hendricks' killing. "As members of a democratic, pluralistic society, the MJC remains steadfast in advocating for peaceful coexistence and mutual respect, even amidst divergent views," the MJC said, while the UUCSA said it condemned "all forms of extra-judicial killings". However, Hendricks - who did his Islamic studies in Pakistan - was a pariah in their circles, as they hold the view that Islam prohibits same-sex relations. They pointedly referred to him as "Mr Hendricks", rather than by religious titles like imam or sheikh. In contrast, Hendricks' supporters hailed him as the world's first openly gay imam who made it possible for them to reconcile their sexuality with their Islamic faith. That he was a trail-blazer is not surprising - South Africa's constitution, adopted in 1996 after the end of white-minority rule, was the first in the world to protect people from discrimination because of their sexual orientation. Then in 2006, South Africa became the first country in Africa to legalise same-sex marriage. Once in a heterosexual marriage with children, Hendricks came out as gay in 1996 - and, according to The Conversation, he later broke another taboo by marrying a Hindu man. He then spearheaded the formation of The Inner Circle as "an underground social and support group" for queer Muslims. It started out at his home in Cape Town, and has "proven to be very successful in helping Muslims who are queer to reconcile Islam with their sexuality", The Inner Circle's website says. Despite South Africa having a thriving LGBTQ+ scene, members of the community still face some stigmatisation and violence. Only a few of the country's religious groups have adopted policies that are more favourable towards the community, among them the Dutch Reformed Church and the Methodist Church of Southern Africa. The Dutch Reformed Church was in 2019 forced by the courts to reinstate a policy it had introduced four years earlier, but then scrapped, allowing same-sex marriages and for gay and lesbian pastors to be in romantic relationships. The following year, the Methodist Church said that while it was "not yet ready to apply for its ministers to officiate at same-sex marriages", no congregant residing in a member country that recognised civil unions would be "prevented from entering into such a union which can be as same-sex or opposite sex couples". Reverend Ecclesia de Lange, the director at Inclusive and Affirming Ministries (IAM), told the BBC that even in instances where faith groups had adopted inclusive policies there were still "pockets of very strong conservatism". "The traditional interpretations of sacred texts continue to exclude LGBTQ+ people, so the struggle for acceptance within faith communities remains ongoing," she said. Senior lecturer in Islamic Studies at South Africa's University of the Western Cape, Dr Fatima Essop, reflected on the "distressing" vitriolic content circulating on social media in the wake of Hendricks' killing. "I just find that completely shocking and so far removed from our... Islamic tradition, which is all about compassion and mercy and preservation of human life," she told the BBC. Dr Essop added that while she understood some of the strong feelings against Hendricks' work, there was "absolutely no justification, Islamic or otherwise, for this kind of violence". And while the motive is unclear, Hendrick's killing - and the negative comments that followed - was likely to make people fearful to "speak about their sexuality or sexual orientation", Dr Essop said. Reverend Kruger-Ayebazibwe said that while Hendricks' shooting would make LGBTQ+ leaders rethink their security, it would not deter them from campaigning for change "because the work matters too much". Hendricks has already been buried at a private ceremony, though his Al-Gurbaah Foundation has pledged to organise a memorial in the near future to "honour his immense contributions". For Teboho Klaas, the religion programme officer at The Other Foundation, which champions LGBTQ+ rights in southern Africa, his killers may have cut his life short "but not his legacy because he has multiplied himself". Born free, killed by hate - the price of being gay in South Africa Gay rights: Africa, the new frontier The long road to legalise same sex marriage in Thailand Uganda anti-gay laws: Beaten and forced to flee for being LGBT Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Africa Daily Focus on Africa
BBC News
19-02-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Muhsin Hendricks murder: Even in his final seconds of life, first gay imam pushed boundaries
The execution-style killing of an openly gay imam, Muhsin Hendricks, in South Africa has left people in the LGBTQ+ community fearful for their safety - but also determined to forge ahead with the campaign to end their marginalisation in religious circles. Reverend Toni Kruger-Ayebazibwe, an openly gay Christian cleric, told the BBC that Hendricks was a "gentle spirit" who brought light into any room he occupied. "The gap Muhsin leaves is massive," she told the BBC, adding that she knew for a fact that there there were "a large number of queer Muslims around the world who are grief stricken". The 57-year-old was shot dead in what appeared to be a hit on Saturday in the small coastal city of Gqeberha. Initial reports that Cape Town-based Hendricks had been in Gqeberha to perform the wedding ceremony of a gay couple have been dismissed as untrue by his Al-Gurbaah Foundation."He was visiting Gqeberha to officiate the marriages of two interfaith heterosexual couples when he was tragically shot and killed," it said in a statement. It is unclear why the couples had asked Hendricks to oversee their ceremonies, but it suggests that he was pushing the boundaries, even in the last seconds of his life. Traditional imams in South Africa rarely, if ever, perform the marriage of a Muslim to a non-Muslim - something that Hendricks clearly had no issue with. He had, according to a faith leader that the BBC spoke to, conducted one such marriage ceremony and was on his way to conduct the next one when he was gunned down in his vehicle. Two leading bodies that represent imams - the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) and the United Ulama Council of South Africa (UUCSA) - condemned Hendricks' killing. "As members of a democratic, pluralistic society, the MJC remains steadfast in advocating for peaceful coexistence and mutual respect, even amidst divergent views," the MJC said, while the UUCSA said it condemned "all forms of extra-judicial killings".However, Hendricks - who did his Islamic studies in Pakistan - was a pariah in their circles, as they hold the view that Islam prohibits same-sex relations. They pointedly referred to him as "Mr Hendricks", rather than by religious titles like imam or sheikh. In contrast, Hendricks' supporters hailed him as the world's first openly gay imam who made it possible for them to reconcile their sexuality with their Islamic he was a trail-blazer is not surprising - South Africa's constitution, adopted in 1996 after the end of white-minority rule, was the first in the world to protect people from discrimination because of their sexual in 2006, South Africa became the first country in Africa to legalise same-sex in a heterosexual marriage with children, Hendricks came out as gay in 1996 - and, according to The Conversation, he later broke another taboo by marrying a Hindu man. He then spearheaded the formation of The Inner Circle as "an underground social and support group" for queer started out at his home in Cape Town, and has "proven to be very successful in helping Muslims who are queer to reconcile Islam with their sexuality", The Inner Circle's website South Africa having a thriving LGBTQ+ scene, members of the community still face some stigmatisation and violence. Only a few of the country's religious groups have adopted policies that are more favourable towards the community, among them the Dutch Reformed Church and the Methodist Church of Southern Dutch Reformed Church was in 2019 forced by the courts to reinstate a policy it had introduced four years earlier, but then scrapped, allowing same-sex marriages and for gay and lesbian pastors to be in romantic relationships. The following year, the Methodist Church said that while it was "not yet ready to apply for its ministers to officiate at same-sex marriages", no congregant residing in a member country that recognised civil unions would be "prevented from entering into such a union which can be as same-sex or opposite sex couples".Reverend Ecclesia de Lange, the director at Inclusive and Affirming Ministries (IAM), told the BBC that even in instances where faith groups had adopted inclusive policies there were still "pockets of very strong conservatism". "The traditional interpretations of sacred texts continue to exclude LGBTQ+ people, so the struggle for acceptance within faith communities remains ongoing," she lecturer in Islamic Studies at South Africa's University of the Western Cape, Dr Fatima Essop, reflected on the "distressing" vitriolic content circulating on social media in the wake of Hendricks' killing."I just find that completely shocking and so far removed from our... Islamic tradition, which is all about compassion and mercy and preservation of human life," she told the Essop added that while she understood some of the strong feelings against Hendricks' work, there was "absolutely no justification, Islamic or otherwise, for this kind of violence".And while the motive is unclear, Hendrick's killing - and the negative comments that followed - was likely to make people fearful to "speak about their sexuality or sexual orientation", Dr Essop Kruger-Ayebazibwe said that while Hendricks' shooting would make LGBTQ+ leaders rethink their security, it would not deter them from campaigning for change "because the work matters too much".Hendricks has already been buried at a private ceremony, though his Al-Gurbaah Foundation has pledged to organise a memorial in the near future to "honour his immense contributions".For Teboho Klaas, the religion programme officer at The Other Foundation, which champions LGBTQ+ rights in southern Africa, his killers may have cut his life short "but not his legacy because he has multiplied himself". You may be interested in: Born free, killed by hate - the price of being gay in South AfricaGay rights: Africa, the new frontierThe long road to legalise same sex marriage in ThailandUganda anti-gay laws: Beaten and forced to flee for being LGBT Go to for more news from the African us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
