Börje Salming’s gripping story has been widely spread in North America.
Now he is supported by former teammates.
– I could never imagine this, says Chris Kotsopoulos.
It was this summer that Börje Salming came with the sad news that he had suffered from ALS. However, no updates about how Börje is actually doing, and how the fight against the disease is going, have come until this week. Then Expressen met Börje and his wife Pia, and the story was strong, to say the least.
Supported by former teammates
Börje Salming has now lost the ability to speak, and needs an iPad to communicate. He also needs to be tube-fed, and his wife Pia spoke poignantly in the interview about how tough it is for the family right now. And it’s not just in Sweden that people get involved over the hockey legend. The pictures of Börje, and his story, have had a huge impact, especially in Toronto, where he has cult status since his many years with the Maple Leafs.
Several old teammates in Toronto, including Darryl Sittler, have gotten involved and are trying to ensure that Börje Salming can make it to North America later in the fall. Sittler, Lanny McDonald and Dave Williams – all with a close relationship to Börje – have also spoken to the Swede.
– We tried to cheer him up and pull some old stories together. It was something that we will all remember, having it together, Sittler has said.
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Emotional words
Now Börje Salming is also supported by another teammate who meant a lot to him. The time Salming was stomped in the face by a Detroit player, it was because of a shove from teammate Chris Kotsopoulos, which caught the opposing player off balance. The skate required Börje to get 300 stitches, but of course the whole thing was as unfortunate as it could get, and Salming and Kotsopoulos were always good friends as teammates. Now he sends a nice tribute to Börje on Facebook.
“I sat next to that man in the dressing room for four years,” he writes.
He then continues:
“Never in my entire life could I, or anyone else, have imagined that this could happen to this man, who has always been in absolute top shape physically.”
Kotsopoulos writes further:
“It shows how fragile life really is. Keep fighting, King. We are all praying for you”.
Since the interview, Börje Salming has also been supported by former teammate Mark Kirton, who also suffered from ALS.
READ MORE: The former teammate’s anger after the pictures of Börje Salming – directs criticism at Sweden: “Should be ashamed!”