Expressen’s Gunnar Nordstrom spoke with Johan Franzen’s former and current teammates regarding Mrs. Franzen’s blog post about her husband’s continued battle with post-concussion syndrome.
Nicklas Lidstrom and Niklas Kronwall told Nordstrom that Franzen has suffered in silence for a long time now (and what follows is roughly translated from Swedish):
Franzen’s friends: “People haven’t known about it…”
Las Vegas. Johan Franzen’s teammates and friends with the Detroit Red Wings feel for the hockey star and follow his fight for health after suffering concussions in the NHL.
They are praising Franzen’s wife Cecilia for her blog post last Monday about the family’s search for new treatment methods so that they can return to a normal life.
“It’s strong of Cissi to go out and tell, she’s amazingly strong. We can’t even imagine what they’re going through,” said teammate Niklas Kronwall.
Tonight, Johan Franzen sent a first greeting–via his wife.
Niklas Kronwall, like everyone else on the Red Wings, has been careful regarding commenting on Johan Franzen’s health in recent years.
“I don’t want to say too much, that’s their thing. It’s wrong that we should go out and talk about how they feel. But of course I have known a little about what it meant. We live close to each other and meet up and down the street. But now that Cissi has gone out and told everyone how hard it is, I support them all the way,” says Niklas Kronwall, who is home in Sweden for his summer vacation.
How do you view their situation?
“It feels more hopeful now and I hope their time in Colorado at the new facility for this type of patient will help them find a way to get Johan and the family to feel better.”
How tough is it seeing such a close mate and teammate forced to go through a long time of suffering?
“It’s terrible. There’s one side of this, which people didn’t know and wasn’t highlighted. What people talk about is how much money we earn and so on, but there is a back story that should be highlighted.”
What was your reaction when you read Cissi’s report on her blog?
“Now it’s in her own words, and that we can’t even imagine what they’re going through. I hope they can find new tools and new ways to go for Johan to feel better.”
“Hockey is one thing, but on the whole, it’s nothing. This is about everyday life. And what is important in existence,” says Niklas Kronwall.
Lidstrom: “Standing strongly by Johan and Cissi”
Nicklas Lidstrom left the Red Wings and the NHL after the 2011-2012 season, but he visits Detroit a few times each year and keeps in touch with his former teammates, like Johan Franzen.
Lidas says this to SportExpressen:
“It’s great and strongly done by Johan and Cissi that they go out and seek new ways for rehabilitation. And this seems to be some help that they’re getting immediately. I didn’t know about the Colorado clinic until yesterday, when my wife, Annika, read Cissi’s blog.”
When did you meet them most recently?
“I met Cissi at the rink when I was there around the end of March and start of April, but Johan didn’t take in the game. It’s possible that he’d already entered the locker room, etc. And they had guests from Sweden at home right then, so we never went to their home. But we keep in touch via text messages.”
“When Homer (Tomas Holmstrom) and I were over last fall, we went out for lunch with Johan. He told me then that it went up and down, but that he was feeling up just then. He was in a good mood and was having a good period,” says Lidas.
Sport Expressen has been in contact with Cissi Franzen, who greets via a text that Johan can’t speak right now.
“But he is grateful for all the nice comments,” says Cissi Franzen.
So sad to hear. I hope he can find a way to recover. Franzen was a beast when he took over games. He certainly gave us some memorable games.
I wonder if Kronwall, Zee, etc…regret not stepping up and urging Franzen to stop playing. He was so determined to come back and suffered several setbacks. Then…voila. He was magically cleared to play. He lasted 2 more games before suffering his final concussion. Athletes are stubborn. But someone needed to step up. Also wonder whether the Wings might end up getting sued one day. To this day I have no idea how any doctor could have cleared him to play those 2 games. Really sad.