Ben Saunders, the First Winner of The Voice of Holland, Dies at 43

Ben Saunders, the singer who became the first-ever winner of The Voice of Holland in 2011, was found dead Tuesday at Rijkerswoerdse Plassen, a recreational lake near Arnhem in the Netherlands. He was 43. Police recovered his body around 1:20 p.m. local time, ruled out foul play, and have not announced a cause of death.

His brother Dean Saunders announced the loss on Instagram, writing,“My dear little brother passed away today…I have never felt pain like this before…”Marco Borsato, who coached Ben on the show’s debut season, also paid tribute, calling him a“dear, special man.”Saunders is survived by his family and his fiancee, Janita.

Saunders’win helped launch a franchise that now spans more than 150 adaptations worldwide, making him a genuine piece of television history. The same year he took the Voice crown, Dean won Holland’s Got Talent, a back-to-back family run that Dutch audiences still talk about. If you were a fan of his music or his season, we’d love to hear your favorite memory of Ben Saunders in the comments.