Shoppers and viewers have been moved by a simple, powerful moment: a Wensambulance carried 44-year-old Leeroy onto a Canal Parade boat in Amsterdam so he could celebrate WorldPride. It mattered because it mixed care, visibility and joy , and because Leeroy, a trans man living with terminal cancer, got to be seen as himself.

Essential Takeaways

  • Kind act: A Wensambulance transported Leeroy on a brancard to the Canal Parade, making his wish to attend WorldPride happen.
  • Emotional scene: Leeroy enjoyed the boat, received air-kisses from ambassadors and spoke with public figures, feeling for a moment free from illness.
  • Identity and activism: As a trans man, Leeroy has faced discrimination and death threats, and he’s active with organisations like COC and Regenboog Belang.
  • Passing the torch: He’s looking for someone to continue his advocacy work locally while hoping for an end to hate.
  • Care detail: Leeroy is treated at UMCG and returned home when health permits, balancing treatments with time spent creating meaning.

A wish fulfilled on the water , vivid, quiet, unforgettable

There’s something cinematic about being wheeled from a white ambulance onto a colourful Canal Parade boat, the city’s reflections rippling by and the music loud enough to make even a hospital bed feel like a stage. According to local reports, that’s exactly how Leeroy’s morning unfolded, and he later said he could finally celebrate being himself without the constant shadow of illness.

The story began with a straightforward wish: to experience Pride in person, and in Amsterdam this year that meant WorldPride, a magnet for queer people from across the globe. Organisations that grant final wishes, like the Wensambulance, specialise in turning logistical barriers into human moments, and this was one of those rare, tender successes.

Why WorldPride made this extra special

WorldPride brings an intensity that regular Pride weeks don’t always match, drawing international crowds and high-profile ambassadors. Leeroy, who is in trans‑transition and has faced discrimination and even threats because of his identity, said being on a boat during WorldPride was a dream.

Being seen in that setting had real, practical weight. For someone whose life has been marked by cancer and loss , he lost his partner two years earlier , the parade was not just celebration but a brief, potent reminder of belonging.

Familiar faces, small kindnesses that mean a lot

On the boat he met notable Pride ambassadors and performers, and even received air-kisses from public figures, a small sensory detail that made the event feel playful and human. He also chatted with local leaders, including the mayor and a national politician, who asked him about his civic involvement.

Those encounters underline how visibility at Pride can translate into connection. When politicians and community leaders show up, it signals that the struggles and celebrations of queer people are part of public life , and that matters to someone wanting to be acknowledged as themselves.

From activism to succession , the work continues

Leeroy isn’t only a guest at Pride; he’s an activist. He works with groups such as Regenboog Belang and has ties to COC and other anti-discrimination efforts. With his health in mind, he’s now looking to pass on the baton to someone who can continue the local organising he’s been part of.

That task , finding a successor , is practical advice for anyone doing community work: document what you do, link your contacts, and mentor a volunteer now so the cause doesn’t stall if you can’t continue.

Care, hope and the small miracles that matter

Leeroy is under treatment at UMCG and hopes, as many people in similar situations do, for a miracle. But beyond medical hopes, he has also been given a day where illness wasn’t the headline, and that’s a different kind of relief.

Organisations such as the Wensambulance specialise in these days; according to their mission, they aim to make last wishes possible by handling the logistics and care needs. For families and friends thinking about a similar request, start planning early, communicate medical needs clearly, and involve the treating hospital so the day is both safe and unforgettable.

It's a small change that can make every celebration feel possible.

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