Tragic Accident Leaves Finnish Ice Hockey Star Paralyzed
In a devastating turn of events, Finnish ice hockey player Sanni Hakala, a two-time Olympic bronze medallist, announced on Thursday that she is paralyzed from the chest down after a collision with a goalpost during a club game on Friday, November 24.
The incident occurred while she was captaining her team HV71 in the Swedish Women’s Hockey League.
Hakala took to social media to share the gravity of the situation, expressing, "It is still hard to understand what has happened, that the crash into the goal post was as serious as it was, that the consequences have become so big."
She revealed the harsh reality that not only is she forced to stop playing hockey, a sport that has been a significant part of her life, but she may also be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her life. The 26-year-old also disclosed that she has limited function in her arms and hands following the accident.
Born on Halloween in 1997, Hakala had a remarkable career, making her international debut for Finland's Under-18s in 2012 and achieving Olympic success in PyeongChang 2018 and Beijing 2022. She had recently extended her contract with HV71 in April, looking forward to her eighth season with the club.
Hakala's statement reflects her resilience in the face of adversity: "I understand that I am now facing a long and hard fight with my body and the toughest game of my life. This situation obviously sucks, but I’m not scared to take it on. I don’t know what I’m going to do next, but I know it will be [expletive] awesome!"
This tragic incident comes amid recent negative headlines for the sport, following the death of professional ice hockey player Adam Johnson, who succumbed to injuries sustained during a Challenge Cup match in October. As the hockey community rallies in support, the HV71 team expresses solidarity, declaring, "Come on Sanni! You are forever our captain!"
