How did Steven’s 100km Dodentocht keep Jasper’s memory alive?
Roeselare walker Steven Onghena completed the 100km Dodentocht in Bornem on 15 August 2026 in memory of Jasper, a baby who died six years ago, while raising support for the bereavement charity Berrefonds.
The walk transformed a highly personal remembrance into practical support for families facing child loss. It also gives residents and international newcomers a concrete route to reputable bereavement help and verified charity giving in Flanders.
of completed the 100km in on Saturday 15 August, carrying the memory of and supporting , the Flemish charity for families grieving a child. The practical takeaway for anyone moved by his effort is straightforward: donations and bereavement support should be arranged through Berrefonds’ official website, while future walkers should use dodentocht.be for registration, safety information and transport rather than relying on social-media posts.
Onghena began the walk with his friend at 21:00 on Friday 14 August. Local outlet Mandelnieuws reported after the event that Onghena reached the finish, although Vande Pitte had to stop after about 30 kilometres in warm conditions. The pair had set out to honour , the son of a relative by marriage, who lived for six months before dying from an illness six years ago.
The original reporting describes Onghena carrying a personal reminder of . It also quotes him as saying that the child had not been forgotten. That is the emotional centre of the story: an endurance event normally measured in kilometres and hours became a public act of remembrance for a life that was brief but remained important to a family.
Mandelnieuws reported that Onghena drew motivation from and after continuing alone. Family members joined or supported him over the final kilometres, while residents along the route provided encouragement. The precise sum raised by his campaign was not confirmed in the accessible reporting, so it would be premature to attach a fundraising total to the achievement.
## What the involves
The is not a relay or a staged charity stroll. It is a continuous 100-kilometre walking challenge beginning and ending in the gemeente of , in Antwerp province. The organiser, , says the 2026 route passed through communities including Buggenhout, Opwijk, Lebbeke, Baasrode, Sint-Amands, Puurs and Oppuurs before returning to Bornem.
Official information placed 13 checkpoints along the route, with supplies available to registered walkers. Participants who withdrew at a checkpoint could use a sweep vehicle back to , but were required to scan out. Red Cross posts were marked on the official route map. These details matter because a personal mission does not remove the physical risks of walking through the night, particularly during warm weather.
For future editions, participants should register through .be, train progressively and read the organiser’s latest guidance on heat, equipment and checkpoint deadlines. The event traditionally takes place on the second Friday of August, but dates and arrangements should always be checked afresh. railway station is roughly a five-minute walk from the event centre, according to the organiser, while motorists are directed to signed parking areas near the N16 and shuttle services. The official site provides information in Dutch and English; French-speaking participants may need to switch to the English pages when a French version is unavailable.
## Why walk for ?
supports parents, grandparents, siblings and wider family networks after pregnancy loss or the death of a child up to the age of 12. According to , its services include peer contact and remembrance boxes, known in Dutch as Koesterkoffers. The organisation also operates where bereaved families can meet others with comparable experiences.
The City of Antwerp’s portal says families can approach for practical information, contact with other bereaved households and guidance for relatives or friends who want to help. Its website and much of its community programme are primarily Dutch-language. People who are more comfortable in French or another language should state that when contacting the organisation and ask what translated material or suitable local referral is available.
also works with local authorities. Its guidance for a stad or gemeente covers sensitive contact with bereaved parents, remembrance spaces at cemeteries and registers for children whose lives may not be fully reflected in ordinary administrative records. That municipal dimension gives Onghena’s walk significance beyond one fundraiser: it shows how remembrance can connect families, voluntary organisations and public spaces without turning grief into a spectacle.
## The broader view
Long-distance charity events offer something that an ordinary appeal often cannot: a visible action with a beginning, a demanding middle and a finish. For some participants, the exertion provides a language for grief that is otherwise difficult to express. Onghena’s walk did not claim to resolve ’s family’s loss. It made continued remembrance visible and directed attention towards an organisation supporting other families.
There is nevertheless a responsibility to keep the child and family at the centre. Fundraisers involving a deceased child should use details and images only with the family’s agreement, explain where donations go and avoid implying that sporting endurance is a substitute for professional or peer support. Readers wishing to contribute should verify that a campaign links to ’ recognised fundraising platform before entering payment information.
Onghena’s next reported challenge is the 107-kilometre Hagelandse 101 in early September, followed by preparation for a marathon in . Whether those later efforts will also support a charity had not been settled in the pre-walk reporting. What is already confirmed is simpler: he reached ’s finish after walking through the night, and ’s name travelled the full 100 kilometres with him.
Impact
Regional — The story connects Roeselare in West Flanders, the Dodentocht’s host gemeente of Bornem and Berrefonds services across Flanders. It may also direct bereaved families towards Koesterhuizen and municipal Huis van het Kind services.
Local — The story links three Flemish settings: Onghena’s home city of Roeselare in West Flanders, the Dodentocht host municipality of Bornem and Berrefonds support available across Flanders. Its most concrete local effect is signposting: bereaved families can approach Berrefonds directly or ask a municipal Huis van het Kind about nearby services. Koesterhuizen may provide another point of contact where available. Residents considering the Dodentocht can use the organiser’s official website and participant FAQ for event-specific preparation information.
What it means for you
Bereaved readers in Flanders can contact Berrefonds for guidance, peer contact or information about remembrance boxes, and can ask their local Huis van het Kind which services are available nearby. Prospective Dodentocht participants should consult the official event website and participant FAQ for current entry, preparation and practical requirements rather than relying on this personal account. Readers wishing to support the memorial initiative or Berrefonds should verify the beneficiary and payment route through official channels before donating. The walk described here took place on 15 August 2026; it is not notice of an upcoming event.
Opposing perspectives
- Charity-walk participants and supporters
Participants and donors see an endurance challenge as a tangible way to preserve a child’s name, bring an often-private form of grief into public view and channel attention towards specialist support.
- Bereavement and privacy advocates
Families and support workers may welcome remembrance while stressing that fundraising must preserve consent, avoid unnecessary medical detail and never suggest that a sporting achievement resolves grief.
Who, where and what
Key people, places and terms in this story
Belgian province containing Roeselare.
Belgian region across which Berrefonds and related local support services operate.
Roeselare endurance walker who completed the 2026 Dodentocht in Jasper’s memory.
Baby remembered by Onghena after dying from an illness at six months old six years earlier.
Onghena’s walking companion, who withdrew after about 30 kilometres in warm conditions.
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Roeselare endurance walker who completed the 2026 Dodentocht in Jasper’s memory.
Baby remembered by Onghena after dying from an illness at six months old six years earlier.
Onghena’s walking companion, who withdrew after about 30 kilometres in warm conditions.
Belgian province containing Roeselare.
Belgian region across which Berrefonds and related local support services operate.
West Flemish city where Onghena is based.
Municipality hosting the start and finish of the Dodentocht route.
Annual 100-kilometre endurance walk completed by Onghena on 15 August 2026.
Organisation responsible for the Dodentocht and its official participant information.
Flemish organisation providing support after child loss and benefiting from Onghena’s initiative.
Local support locations identified as a possible resource for bereaved families.
Municipal family-service network through which readers can seek information about nearby support.
Antwerp family-service organisation providing published information about Berrefonds.
Self-help information service listing Berrefonds and its support activities.
News outlet reporting on Onghena’s planned memorial walk and Jasper’s story.
Sources & evidence
- View sourceHet NieuwsbladPrimaryprimary· nieuwsblad.be· 11 August 2026Retrieved 29 August 2026· 52 days ago· Dated
- View sourceMandelnieuws — completion reportcorroborating· mandelnieuws.be· 17 August 2026Retrieved 29 August 2026· 46 days ago· Dated
- View sourceMandelnieuws — pre-event reportcorroborating· mandelnieuwsbe.webhosting.be· 11 August 2026Retrieved 29 August 2026· 52 days ago· Dated
- View source100KM Dodentocht–Kadee vzwofficial· dodentocht.beRetrieved 29 August 2026
Related topics
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Live connections from the Belgium Impulse ecosystem — not recommendations.
This briefing was prepared with AI assistance and reviewed by a Belgium Impulse editor before publication. methodology.