Former Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom spoke with Aftonbladet’s Simon Norberg, Tomas Ros and Hans Abrahamsson regarding the news that legendary defenseman Borje Salming is ill with ALS. Here’s a rough translation of the article from Swedish:
Salming: “Fight with all you can”
Borje Salming is suffering from AHL. Now he’s supported by Nicklas Lidstrom.
“I know you will fight with everything you can against this terrible disease,” he says.
Between 1973 and 1989, Borje Salming played in over 1,000 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Classified by many as the biggest pioneer for Swedish players to enter the NHL.
Today, the now-71-year-old ice hockey legend announced, via the news agency TT, that he’s suffering from the nerve disease ALS.
“Have a good dialogue”
The message was received with great despair by the former great defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom.
“Borje, I am thinking of you during this tough time. You have been my idol all these years, and I know that you will fight with all you can against this horrible disease, just as you fought on the ice. You have always been my role model,” he says to Sportbladet.
Even Inge Hammarstrom, who went over together with Salming in the 70’s, supports his former teammate.
“I say hello to you and all of you. I have a good dialogue with him and support him as much as possible. We have to keep our fingers crossed that they find the right medicine to stop this.”
