On Wednesday 25 July 1877, Vincent witnessed a tragic accident near the Kattenburgerbrug: some children fell into the water. Vincent van Gogh’s Uncle Jan, director of the nearby naval dockyard, immediately sent a sloop to rescue them. One boy was seriously injured, and Vincent and two ship’s doctors took him to a pharmacy, where they tried in vain to revive him. That evening, Vincent went to see the boy’s parents. They were devastated at the death of their small son, who had been the "light of the house".