In the mountains for work, Vadim De Waart’s good fortune ran out

Vadim De Waart was the kind of guy who could never quite believe his luck.

He could get talking to a stranger during a travel disaster, and within minutes, there would be an offer of a bed or a warm meal. Years after a relationship ended, his former partners would still consider him family.

A deeply sentimental romantic, his capacity for connection was so boundless that it extended far beyond the typical limits of love and friendship.

“The fact that [I’m close with another of his former partners] shows you how kind, sweet and engaged he is with his partners,” former partner of seven years Marine Piersotte said.

“He was always very positive and funny, and loved to have a good time.

“We always ran out of space because he would start a new hobby and buy all the tennis racquets, and then after that, it would be cycling.

“[He made] the most out of life.”

De Waart’s sense of pride for what he had accomplished – the boy all the way from Tervuren in Belgium, now a Victoria Police senior constable – was as infectious as his beaming smile.

A photo on De Waart’s social media profile captured his energy – de Waart, admiring the view from the balcony of his new Docklands apartment.

“My home on the waterfront,” he wrote, raising a glass to the yachts and glittering lights. “Cheers to this beautiful city.”

His dream had been to ultimately have a house and children, and his Docklands unit had been his first step to that, Piersotte said. “He recently got a cat. He was loving life. He was very happy,” she said.

“He loved going to work. He loved making a difference and feeling like [he had] this purpose.”

De Waart was living out his purpose when he was killed alongside his colleague on Tuesday near the Victorian town of Porepunkah.

Both men were allegedly shot dead by conspiracy theorist Dezi Freeman, 56, at a vast rural property in the state’s alpine region while trying to execute a search warrant.

De Waart’s family were travelling from Belgium to Melbourne after their 34-year-old son’s death, his friends said.

When Piersotte moved to Sydney in 2014 to undertake an exchange program at an Australian university, De Waart followed, making use of his mother Carolina’s Australian citizenship.

Close friend Muniera Dubery caught up with him the weekend before last. She was meant to play badminton with him on Thursday. Instead, she visited Melbourne’s Police Memorial, which was covered in flowers for her dear friend.

“He loved having people around. He loved sharing his space,” Dubery said.

Former partner Meegan Palmer said her whole neighbourhood adored De Waart. “He was one of the most intelligent, vibrant and caring people,” Palmer said. “The world is darker without him.”

Close friend Yalenka Clement said De Waart had just returned from a 10-day trip from Darwin to Broome, and while the people on his tour bus were old enough to be his grandparents, they came away “as one big, happy family”.

A colleague described him as a “gentle giant” who had been meticulous with his work.

De Waart died beside a stalwart of the police force and his local community, 59-year-old Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal “Thommo” Thompson who was just days away from retirement at the time of his death.

Thompson’s booming personality had commanded attention, said a friend who asked not to be named.

“Quick to self-deprecate, he knew he wasn’t beyond the reach of his own jokes,” Thompson’s friend said.

“He lived in a way we should all aspire to: decompressing on fishing trips up north, hunting and enjoying the outdoors, tending to his hobby farm, and looking forward to working the land on his recently purchased property.”

Thompson and his dog, Jimmy, had been part of the furniture at his local cafe, Ineeta Cafe in Moyhu.

“He would sit quietly for hours reading the paper or engaging in conversation with locals that knew him,” the cafe’s owner said. “Jimmy, his beloved [wirehaired pointer, now passed] would often come with him, and we’d know two egg and bacon muffins were needed: one for Neal, one for Jimmy.

“We would chat about life, hunting, fishing, Nepal, adventures, his car, rock climbing, property, finances, Cooktown, his boat, Jimmy, mangoes, smoked venison, work stories and lately all the things [he] was going to do in his retirement.

“I always felt safe knowing he was around. If something was happening around the town he’d be in touch. If I needed help with something he’d be there.”

The two men gunned down on Tuesday stood at opposite ends of a policing journey – Thompson nearing the end of his service, De Waart still gathering hard-earned lessons on the job.

The latter had happily travelled to Porepunkah for a temporary posting, eager to combine his police work with a chance to go skiing in the mountains. It was there, doing what he loved, that his good fortune ran out.

“We always said he had a little angel on his shoulder to give him so much luck,” Piersotte said.

“I don’t know. Now I wonder if it was all because he had a lot less time than us.”

With Angus Delaney

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