Early Death of The Grand Champion
Only Kaps' closest friends knew that he had cancer. Fellow Dutchman and cabaret artist Wim Kan sent Kaps an audio cassette saying how he was shocked about finding out about the cancer. He consoled his ailing friend by telling him how much he and his wife Corrie cared for him. He ended by saying that he learned a lot from working with him. “I learned from you how, by making every effort, by working hard, by giving enormous concentration, and by coping with any difficulty that arises, one can reach the summit! It is said all the time, but I believe that’s the way it is.”
He was doing much better and planned on working again. In March 1980, Kaps was honored with a Master Fellowship of the Academy of Magical Arts in Hollywood. Then he had a relapse. This time it was made public. He battled it the best he could, but on July 23, 1980, Bram Bongers better known to the world as Fred Kaps died. He was a month shy of his 54th birthday. He left a wife, a mother, and two daughters.
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