Hein Simons celebrates its 70th birthday: The children’s star Heintje does that today

With his dark blonde hair, the pointed -bezel smile and the angelic voice, he moved millions to tears at the end of the 1960s. “Mama” made the twelve -year -old Heintje the world star. The Dutch singer turns 70 on August 12th.

It was a fairy tale like from the picture book: in 1966 a producer discovered the little Hendrik “Hein” Simons from Bleijerheide Dutch. His debut single “Mama” conquered the top of the charts in over 30 countries and was sold over a million times. The children’s star became the phenomenon of an entire generation: his concerts were sold out, women cried when he sang “Heidschi Bumbeidschi”, and even Hollywood was interested in the pop singer.

But Heintje was also not spared from the curse of the children’s stars. The voice break ended his first career abruptly, for years it was quiet about the former crowd favorite. He tried a comeback several times, picked up new albums and searched the way back into the spotlight. With changing success. Today he can be seen in various TV programs every now and then – if it allows health.

“My hearing gives me great concerns,” said Heintje of the “Welt am Sonntag” just a few days before his birthday. He only hears 70 percent on the left ear, and only 30 percent on the right. Because of this handicap, he had to cancel all appearances. “I fight with myself, but if that doesn’t improve, I will say much earlier than I love: ‘Kinners, bye, that’s it’,” said Simons.

In addition, skin cancer was diagnosed with the musician, which he had “quite well under control”. It is also the recovery after a pulmonary embolism. “I want to live!”, The singer emphasized in the interview. He takes life as it comes – “no matter whether it is about diseases or whatever”.

If the music is finally no longer working, Heintje has definitely built up another mainstay. He lives on a riding stable in Belgium and rents apartments there, as well as Gran Canaria. In terms of finance, however, he doesn’t seem to have to worry anyway: “I have financially taken care of it. I have always created conservative and secure,” he had already revealed in an interview in 2009.

The 70-year-old makes advertising for his apartments every now and then. There “only” almost 3,000 fans follow him – Heintje cannot be stopped. He regularly provides you with photos from vacation, relaxing or with his grandchildren and always wishes his followers a “smooth” weekend.

Heintje also experienced some depths privately. In 2014, the singer separated from his wife Doris after 33 years of marriage, with whom he has two children. The reason: she had met another man. “I am very, very sad about the development”, since then the musician has been single.

Heintje raved about in an interview in 2009: “When I married her at 26, I knew that Doris was the right one. I want us to be 150 years old. We can do the heights and depths.”

However, the drug addiction of his eldest son Pasqual weighed even more seriously. At over 20 he slipped into the drug milieu, said Simons 2020. “You can watch in a dramatic way how a person changes when drugs determine his life. You think: this is no longer my child, as I knew it or I think they have raised it,” he said in it. The situation heavily stressed the whole family. Today his son has overcome his problems with the help of therapy.

That is why Heintje can celebrate his 70th birthday with the family. “I left the big parties behind,” he emphasized to the “Welt am Sonntag”. “My children, the grandchildren and a few friends come to drink coffee – that’s it.”

Despite all the setbacks, the hit legend is still very hungry for life and is looking forward to aging. He wanted to grow very old, “if it works. However, I would like to do and determine a lot myself. If that is not the case, I will die with 99.”