Bertha: Life with Hansie
2004-09-20 11:23
Fanie Marais
Port Elizabeth - Bertha du Plessis, once married to the late Hansie Cronje, at the weekend opened her heart about her life with the cricket legend.
Her life centred around Hansie, she told a group of women. Hansie's life, however, revolved around cricket.
Bertha, now married to Jacques du Plessis, an auditor in George, was speaking at a ladies' tea at DF Malherbe High School in Port Elizabeth.
Bertha told about 400 women in the packed hall that Hansie lived and breathed cricket.
"It was his passion in life. He always said he was one of the few people lucky enough to make his hobby his work."
And then he lost everything - his passion, his work, his status, income and some of his friends.
In a stirring eulogy to Hansie, Bertha said amid all the stress, tension and changing circumstances, Hansie and she still had each other.
But when he died, she realised that one could even lose each other. Her faith carried her through the dark days and nights that followed.
Bertha said she had to learn to live again when she met her present husband.
It was very difficult and caused a lot of conflict within her, because her heart was closed to new feelings and emotions.
She said the choice to become involved again helped her to start a new life.
She spoke with nostalgia about the time she met Hansie as a student in Bloemfontein, how their relationship became serious and when they got married.
She also spoke about the adjustment of living in England for six months while Hansie played county cricket.
Bertha pointed out that it was hard work to be married to a professional cricketer because he was away from home so often. Sometimes Hansie was home only 28 days a year.
She praised him as a wonderful husband who encouraged her to pursue her own career.
- Die Burger