Day 12 - Hans

An younger Hans would have thought, "That's it?" and still would have wondered if he was good enough, but not this Hans. The Hans that had just defeated Champion Lance was different, he was more confident, more wise, more patient, more ambitious, and more content. Hans knew that without going on the journey he had embarked on he could never become who he was today. He was grateful for the many Pokémon who helped him get to this point. What is next for Hans. He honestly didn't know. He was invited to tour the Kanto region, but for now Hans was satisfied and looked forward to resting at home in New Bark Town with his Mom and his Pokémon.

Here is a link to my attempted stream of Hans' Championship battle and induction into the Hall of Fame (I promise I actually beat the game!): https://youtu.be/kNFMrs06IM0

This picture was taken of the family before they left
Denmark, Hans is the boy on the far left.

The real Hans was my Great-Great-Grandfather. He was born in Denmark in 1858. After converting to Mormonism, his family decided to immigrate to the United States. Hans was only 7 years old at the time. On his family's journey across the Atlantic young Hans mother and sister fell ill and passed away. Shortly after his father, sister, and brother arrived in New York both Hans' Father and remaining sister died of cholera. On his deathbed Lars, Hans' and his brother Neils' Father, told them "Now, no matter what comes, do not turn back from the goal that we have started out to reach." Neils was only 14 and Hans was not even 8, and now they were alone in a foreign country where they had no family and did not speak the language. But they wanted to follow their father's final instruction so they made the long trek to the Salt Lake Valley.

Him and his brother settled in Brigham City Utah and Hans lived there most of his life. In his teenage years he was a member of his community's debating society and was known for being well read in that group. When he was grown he worked as a farmer and loved growing fruit. In his forties, Hans returned to his homeland to preach his faith to the Danish people. He served both a term as a City Councilman and a term as County Commissioner, and Hans was recognized as a man of great integrity. When he was 61 he was preparing feed for his animals when a piece of farm machinery lobbed off 3 of his left hand fingers. When he passed away in 1920 his community mourned the loss of one of their great neighbors. His wife (who will be the protagonist of a later game) and 7 of his children survived him. Hans was a great man.

I tried to make the fictional Hans evolve into a great man over the course of a spiritual journey as a tribute to the difficult journey the young historical Hans went on as a consequence of him and his family conversion to a new faith. I have linked here an autobiography written by the historical Hans a few years before his death and finished by one of his daughters.