PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Börje Salming was celebrated in the most powerful and emotional way this weekend.
Daughter Bianca Salming was there and was moved to tears by the framing.
The 24-year-old was also shocked by the ultimate tribute to father Börje.
It was on November 24 that Swedish hockey became a big profile poorer. The legend Börje Salming fell asleep after battling the nerve disease ALS for a long time.
Börje’s tribute
He was 71 years old and was widely celebrated in both Sweden and Canada both before and after his passing in the fall and winter. Powerful events were organized to say an emotional and powerful farewell to Salming with several tribute evenings in Toronto and the “Hockey Gala of the Ages” on Swedish soil.
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The daughter Bianca Salming was by her father’s side until the end and has previously told how happy she was that her father was able to experience the great tributes.
– I am very grateful for all the support and love. I know that it has meant everything to dad during this time, so I also want to thank him, she said in an interview with Expressen after her father’s death.
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Bianca’s shock
This weekend saw the next big tribute to Börje Salming when the “Game for Börje” was arranged in Gävle to collect money for the hockey legend’s own ALS foundation. In connection with the match, Salming also received the ultimate tribute that a hockey player can receive when his jersey was hoisted to the ceiling and immortalized by Brynäs IF.
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The hockey icon won two SM golds with Brynäs in the 70s before taking the step over to North America. Daughter Bianca was once again in attendance and was moved to tears as she stood on the ice and watched her father’s jersey number being hoisted to the ceiling to the tunes of the singer Jon Henrik Fjällgren.
– It feels absolutely incredible. I was actually a bit shocked when I got here, I had no idea it would be such a big deal here, she admits to Sportbladet.
READ MORE: The first clip of the new TV series about Börje Salming has leaked – sneak peek at young Börje: “A surprise”
Hymn x2
Thousands of spectators had made their way to Brynä’s home arena Monitor ERP Arena for the tribute to Börje and also the exhibition match between Tre Kronor and the Toronto Maple Leafs, each a veteran team. Bianca Salming is convinced that her late father was also taken by this emotional event.
– I think he would have loved this. Or he had been fascinated, because he was so humble. He probably didn’t understand that “everyone does this for me?” He probably had a hard time understanding that, says the daughter in the interview.
Börje’s older brother Stig Salming was also there to see little brother’s whip being hoisted and placed next to his own on the roof of Brynäs’ home arena.
– It is said so. Of course, I think it is incredibly honorable to receive it in this way in the end. You are also allowed to say that it feels heavy and sad, says Salming the elder to the evening newspaper.
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