Mark Kane

Hi all, Paul here. Today I am especially grateful to still be alive as I reflect on human decency, character and justice. As you may remember, on the 29th of February 2016 I almost lost my life while performing at Armin van Buuren’ s A State of Trance Utrecht festival that was organized by his business associates at ALDA which was managed by Alan Hardenberg and David Lewis. Since then, it was legally established that their disregard for basic safety standards in stage building and event safety led to my fall and therefore left me with multiple broken bones including my spine, traumatic brain injury and health problems for the rest of my life. How can you cover an unmarked hole in the stage construction with fabric? How can there be an unmarked hole to begin with? Greed? Saving money at the cost of safety? The legal responsibility is very clear; ALDA has been held accountable, but even after 8 years, they have never acknowledged any responsibility, not given a simple apology and have not paid any of the court-ordered compensation to cover the economic damages they caused, as ordered by the highest court in the Netherlands. To the contrary, ALDA even tried to block the insurance to pay for my medical bills and that says everything about their character and decency. On the positive side I learned a lot about survival and how to approach the everyday struggle caused by the severe injuries and the life-long impact on my health, to deal with it with positivity regardless of the continuing pain. During the months I was in hospitals, everyone did their utmost to bring me back, I was treated with dignity, respect and care and for that I will be forever grateful. All your support and well wishes encouraged me to stand up and walk again, it motivated me to an extent you will never understand and for that I will be forever grateful. I discovered that love is the greatest power that exists and for the endless love and strength I was given by my wife Margarita, I will be forever grateful. But nobody and nothing can give me back my health or make up for what my family and friends had to go through. Even though they continue to hide from their responsibility I know for certain that justice will succeed in the end.