On Thursday last week Thando Mangaliso (1994W) was asked how he knew David von Hoesslin (1992S).  This followed a chance meeting in Johannesburg between Thando and David after 32 years.  This was his response:

I met David von Hoeslen in 1984 when I arrived at Bishops from Gugulethu as a boarder in Birt House (later changed to Van der Bijl in June 1984). He spoke non-stop about rugby. He told me that he would be our age group captain and that he would captain the 1st team when we got to college. He then said he'd play for the Springboks one day. All of this was said within the first day I met him. As a boy from the Cape Flats, I didn't have a clue what he was talking about, but I listened politely.

My boy David lived up to that innocent conversation we had.

So fast forward to 1998, and I was studying for my Bachelor in Business Administration in Paris. I'm eating breakfast in the 16th, and the Springboks are playing the All Blacks. I thought nothing of it. The name Von Hoeslen appeared in the #9 position. I thought it couldn't be. Then I saw David run onto the field. I screamed and told the other patrons I went to school with him. The French smiled at me and thought,

"There you go. All Africans are brothers... from another mother."

So that is how I know my dear friend, David.

The above is a shout out from Thando Mangaliso (1994W)

More about David's journey, the life lessons he learned, his advice for young athletes and what he did after his rugby days in this video interview below: