“It was terrible, but just as dad wanted it”

Leksand extended the winning streak beat AIK

Börje Salming has been taken to his final rest.
Now Bianca Salming talks about the funeral.
– It turned out exactly as dad would have wanted it, she says to SVT.

During the autumn, the entire Swedish people, and the entire hockey world, have been able to openly follow Börje Salming’s fight against ALS. It was during the summer that the ice hockey legend was diagnosed, and a few months later, with the help of his wife Pia, he told about the difficulties. Salming quickly lost the ability to eat and talk on his own, and towards the end he also needed a wheelchair to get around.

Daughter’s words about the funeral

All of Sweden watched as a moved Börje Salming, with the help of his immediate family, took the stage at Avicii Arena to receive the NHL’s honorary award during the Hockey Times Gala, and in retrospect it has emerged that it was one of Börje’s last wishes, to receive the tributes both in Stockholm, but also in Toronto, where he was in November. But after Salming’s death, the family has chosen to be more private.

221117 Pia, Bianca and Anders Salming with Börje Salming who is awarded the NHL Honorary Award during the Hockey of the Times Gala on November 17, 2022 in Stockholm. Photo: Joel Marklund / BILDBYRÅN / code JM / JM0377

On Tuesday, Börje Salming, one of Sweden’s greatest athletes of all time, was taken to his final resting place during a funeral at Skogskyrkogården in Stockholm. About 150 people were present during the ceremony, and now Bianca Salming talks about the grief and the funeral.

– The funeral was exactly as the whole family had wished, I think. It felt like it turned out exactly as dad had wanted it to be, she tells SVT.

READ MORE: Stig Salming’s first words after Börje’s funeral – opening up about the great grief: “Now I’m left alone”

“Of course it was terrible…”

For Bianca Salming, the fall has, of course, been heavy and tough, and the funeral was no exception.

– It is clear that it was terrible, but mostly nice, she says.

STOCKHOLM 201810011 Börje Salming with daughter Bianca Salming arrives at Thursday’s reopening of the National Museum in Stockholm. Photo: Stina Stjernkvist / TT code 11610

The same opinion was also held by Stig Salming, Börje’s brother, who recently also lost his mother Karin, who passed away at the age of 95.

– It had turned out exactly as they (Börje’s family who planned the funeral) had hoped, a little more private with family and good friends. It was dignified in every way, said Stig Salming to NSD.

– It was a nice funeral, emotional and nice.

READ MORE: When Börje Salming pointed out a young Nicklas Lidström in the dressing room – and said the most powerful words

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