SA natural bodybuilder finds long-lost sister
Jason Kleindsmidt and his sister, Lizette Brouwer, in Riviersonderend. SUPPLIED
Cape Town - A twist of fate and determination is what South African Natural Bodybuilding champion Jason Kleindsmidt used to find his sister who he only met once 16 years ago and did not know her name or surname.
Thanks to Facebook and close friends and family, Kleindmidt met his sister face to face on Monday in Riviersonderend and also met extended family members after not knowing of one another's existence for more than four decades.
Kleindsmidt, 61,of Mitchells Plain is a South African Natural BodyBuilding Champion and works for the Department of Community Safety.
In 2006, while attending the funeral of his uncle in Rocklands, Mitchells Plain, Kleindsmidt was introduced to a woman identified as his sister, which he had no knowledge of.
He also met the woman’s husband, who was named Michael Brouwers and who has since passed away.
Kleindsmidt said he left the funeral and didn't get his sister's name and was shocked to learn that he actually had a sister he was not aware of.
The duo have the same father, Moses Hendricks, who has also since passed away.
Last week, Kleindsmidt joined Facebook groups: “Waar in die wereld and Riviersonderend News,” and asked people whether they knew Michael Brouwer, who was his sister’s late husband.
He said he received a response days later from residents and a close friend who had family in Riviersonderend, who also did their own digging and investigation.
On Sunday, he contacted the woman believed to be his sister, and they agreed to meet.
He jumped into his car on Monday morning and drove several kilometres to the town where he met her.
His sister, who he learnt was Lizette “Groote” Brouwer, 57, told Weekend Argus she immediately knew it was her brother. “I had heard of a brother living in Cape Town, and when he got out of the car and walked towards me, I said this is my brother because he has the same smile like our father.”
Kleindsmidt spent the past week with his sister and cousins, whom he has met for the very first time.
“I never knew I had a sister, and while attending my uncle’s funeral, I was introduced to her. I only knew her husband’s name,” he added.
“Last week, I had this gut feeling that I needed to find her and I placed a status on these Facebook groups.
“Verenique Muritz and my cousin Beverly had also asked around and responded to the post. I am grateful for their help.
“Within two days, I received my sister’s name and contact details.
“I learnt that they called my sister Groote and she had a twin sister who passed away, and they called her Klein.”
Muritz took to Facebook and said she was happy that the siblings had found one another. “It is so great that everything turned out well.”
Brouwers said her mother had been married to Kleindsmidt’s father. “My father disappeared, and in later years, my mother traced him to Retreat in Cape Town. That was when she moved to Stellenbosch, where she worked in the 1990s.
“I knew I had a brother named Jaco, but when I was shown the Facebook post, I realised it was not Jaco but Jason.
Kleindsmidt is known for his role at the International Natural Bodybuilding Association (INBA) championships, where only the best of the best go to compete and previously made news headlines.