25-year-old Odon Heimdahl dies of cancer – the Swede mourns
Audun Heimdal, 25, one of the world’s best homeless people, has died of cancer.
Behind him is fellow Swedish mourner Emil Granqvist.
– I’ve never felt so helpless. He says I am a newly qualified doctor, but I can’t care about my relatives.
When Emil Granqvist and Audun Heimdal scooped success in JVM directing in 2015, they were unknown to each other. They were a Swede and a Norwegian who fought on the same platform.
The following year, Emil moved to Trondheim to study medicine and was placed in an apartment with three other elite mentors. One of them was particularly familiar.
Audun Heimdal and Emil Granqvist become more than just roommates. They trained together, dined together, competed for the same club and in 2019 took 1st and 2nd place in Norway’s Night Steering Championship.
It was inspired by his friend
All the hours and transitions together made up their own kind of humor.
We used to joke a lot about the winning mentality in our apartment. The victory was significant, because silver and bronze were unwanted medals. Litter medals. It was a constant joke that whoever came second or third in the championship didn’t celebrate, and that was pretty fun when he started winning things.
It took until 2021 before Audun Heimdal reached the top elite. He took a WC silver in the relay, a double NM gold, and was sixth overall at the World Cup. In the winter, he became the world champion in figure skating.
Mathematically speaking, Emil Granqvist has always been one step behind. He was out of the Swedish national team, but to get there he was inspired by his friend.
In April 2022, Udon told me he was ill. Cancer has gone the wrong way, so Emil will no longer rely on his friend in the woods.
Recently, they have kept in close contact by phone. And last Saturday, the Udon family reunited when the 25-year-old took his last breath.
“His room will be empty.”
– It’s terribly heavy. It was a tough summer, but it went a lot faster than we all thought. It’s been pretty dark the past few days, says Emil Granqvist.
How was Udon as a person?
Wonderful role model. He had no enemies, because everyone was looking at him. We are a big steering club in Trondheim and it was our big champion. Always kind, humble and positive. He trains two sessions a day without complaint.
Emil is temporarily at home in Stockholm, but will soon return to Trondheim to finish his studies. Many will be the same, but most importantly, they will never be the same.
– We lived together for six years and decided on another year. Now I will go back to the apartment and see that his room is empty. It would be really strange.
