Bianca Salming on grief after the death of Father Poure
Last Thursday, ice hockey legend Porgy Salming slept in the ALS suites.
Daughter Bianca Salming now talks about how the family supported each other after the death, last time and how her father’s strong feeling was fading.
– This is probably the worst thing I’ve experienced so far in my life, she tells Sportbladet.
Last Thursday, ice hockey legend Børe Salming, one of Sweden’s greatest athletes of all time, passed away from the effects of terminal amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). He was 71 years old.
In the morning he slept in his house in Naka, surrounded by his family.
Sportbladet has been in touch with her daughter Bianca Salming, 24, who now talks about the grief and loss as well as their last time together — but also about the bright memories she has of Porgy Salming as a father.
It’s been a week since dad slept, how are you now?
– I don’t feel well. It’s okay, but I’m tired too. It was such a whirlwind, and now it feels even more surreal, she says and explains how the family supports each other now:
Family is the most important now. We are all very close and take care of each other. But my brother and I may spend more time with my mother.
“I am proud of him”
It was this summer when Porgy Salming came out and told us he suffered from ALS. Then the course of the disease proceeded very quickly, and his condition deteriorated sharply. Despite this, he fought to the end and recently moved with his family to Canada and his second home, Toronto, where he was widely celebrated over Hall of Fame Weekend. He was a champion with the Toronto Maple Leafs playing over 1,000 games and 16 seasons with the NHL club.
Börje Salming was then also celebrated at the Avicii Arena when the Swedish Ice Hockey Association celebrated its centenary with the Hockey of the Times Gala.
He was really in love, how did you experience it?
– I’m proud of him and hoped he could see it all. I’m glad my dad at least had a lot of that before he died.
“The worst I’ve been through”
How do you remember Porgy as a father?
– as the most warm and caring father. He was bubbly and always happy. Dad always wanted the best for everyone and would do anything for us kids and family, he always put everyone first.
Börje was known for his incredible physique, so can we ask what it was like to see him getting weaker and weaker?
– This is probably the worst thing I have experienced so far in my life. It was awful to be a part of it from the outside. And then I can only imagine what it was like for my dad…it’s the worst.
Finally, Bianca Salming talks about their last time together.
– I think we used the time in the best possible way. We did the things my dad wanted to do and we did them together as a family.