10-18-2018, 06:40 PM
@Snussu
The history of the Hockey talent, which concerns the entire SHL
Dank Boija grew up in a nursery at Karelin - this summer he was drafted by the Toronto North Stars SHL team.
From the emergence of extreme poverty to the Karelin children's home - to NHL-drafted hockey talent.
Dank Boija, 20, tells his story that concerns the entire SHL.
"I cried in the phone, considering everything I've been through in my life," says the hockey talent.
He could hardly have been further away from the hockey life he lives today.
When Dank Boija was only one year old, he was abandoned by his parents in Karelin and sent to a orphanage.
The living conditions were tough, on the verge of brutal.
The staff did their best to provide the children with food, but Boija describes it as an intense struggle between the children each time there was the opportunity to adjust the hunger.
"Every day in the orphanage was a struggle to survive," said the 20-year-old in an interview with Canadian SHL News.
"My heart melted"
Even the Toronto North Stars SHL club has made a sensible mini-documentary about him, published yesterday, and in that he also tells about the time at the orphanage.
"I thought there had to be another world out there. There must be families. But I did not know better and just tried to like the situation.
In the end came the rescue.
When Dank was three years old, 2001, Toivu and Seppo Boija had traveled to Karelin with a Christian volunteer group, visited the children's home and met Dank.
"It was a special feeling right now. He looked like he needed a family. My heart melted, Seppo tells SHL NEWS about the first meeting.
After a 21 month process, the Boija couple could adopt Dank and bring him home to the countryside in Helsinki.
"I just thought how scary it must have been for him. But he was so brave. That courage has helped him in hockey too.
Hockey, yes.
Even Danks's hockey history is fascinating.
It started with a couple of ice skate skates at the age of six, skater classes with children who were three years younger before playing their first organized match just before their eleven-day day.
"I fell in love with the game," said Dank himself.
Only six years later he was considered such a big hockey talent that the Helsinki Beer bellies, a club in the main Finnish junior league, chose to sign him.
No Body, owner of both Beer Bellies and Toronto North Stars, describes Dank as something unique.
"It's incredible to start playing hockey at that age and then achieve what he's done. He is a very talented athlete and the nicest teammate you can have. He has earned everything."
Dank was drafted this summer by Toronto North Stars.
He himself began to cry when he reached the news.
"When I got the conversation, it became very emotional to me. I cried in the phone, considering everything I had through my life.
515 words ready for grading
The history of the Hockey talent, which concerns the entire SHL
Dank Boija grew up in a nursery at Karelin - this summer he was drafted by the Toronto North Stars SHL team.
From the emergence of extreme poverty to the Karelin children's home - to NHL-drafted hockey talent.
Dank Boija, 20, tells his story that concerns the entire SHL.
"I cried in the phone, considering everything I've been through in my life," says the hockey talent.
He could hardly have been further away from the hockey life he lives today.
When Dank Boija was only one year old, he was abandoned by his parents in Karelin and sent to a orphanage.
The living conditions were tough, on the verge of brutal.
The staff did their best to provide the children with food, but Boija describes it as an intense struggle between the children each time there was the opportunity to adjust the hunger.
"Every day in the orphanage was a struggle to survive," said the 20-year-old in an interview with Canadian SHL News.
"My heart melted"
Even the Toronto North Stars SHL club has made a sensible mini-documentary about him, published yesterday, and in that he also tells about the time at the orphanage.
"I thought there had to be another world out there. There must be families. But I did not know better and just tried to like the situation.
In the end came the rescue.
When Dank was three years old, 2001, Toivu and Seppo Boija had traveled to Karelin with a Christian volunteer group, visited the children's home and met Dank.
"It was a special feeling right now. He looked like he needed a family. My heart melted, Seppo tells SHL NEWS about the first meeting.
After a 21 month process, the Boija couple could adopt Dank and bring him home to the countryside in Helsinki.
"I just thought how scary it must have been for him. But he was so brave. That courage has helped him in hockey too.
Hockey, yes.
Even Danks's hockey history is fascinating.
It started with a couple of ice skate skates at the age of six, skater classes with children who were three years younger before playing their first organized match just before their eleven-day day.
"I fell in love with the game," said Dank himself.
Only six years later he was considered such a big hockey talent that the Helsinki Beer bellies, a club in the main Finnish junior league, chose to sign him.
No Body, owner of both Beer Bellies and Toronto North Stars, describes Dank as something unique.
"It's incredible to start playing hockey at that age and then achieve what he's done. He is a very talented athlete and the nicest teammate you can have. He has earned everything."
Dank was drafted this summer by Toronto North Stars.
He himself began to cry when he reached the news.
"When I got the conversation, it became very emotional to me. I cried in the phone, considering everything I had through my life.
515 words ready for grading
![[Image: doofy-lion.jpg]](https://am23.akamaized.net/tms/cnt/uploads/2011/04/doofy-lion.jpg)