Mika Soderman

I met Mika at Carl Cestaris seminars in 2002 and 2003. Thr story that V42 relayed about the woman trying to put him in the Silat neck crank, I was the one who said "she tried on Mika" that carl picked up on and repeated. Mika did a lot of mentoring to me when I was 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23 years old. I remember sitting in my dorm room in New York City while he talked me through making marinara sauce over the phone. I wanted to try his recipe. He helped talked me into pursuing a career in politics which i did for a time as well. Mika taught me many things remotely and I thank God for his friendship and the lessons he taught me. My life is better for having Mika Sodermann in it. I wish he was still here and I regret never taking him up on his offer to visit Sweden. I was alway jealous of Bristol Phil getting to. I hope he is getting his peace and I hope I am able to see him again.

Hi! My name is Micha and I am a very close friend to Mika and his family, Mikas funeral will be tomorrow (Friday 21/12 2018) at 14:00, I know that he had a lot of friend’s in her so I thought I should share his memorial page

https://minnessidor.fonus.se/memorial_page/memorial_page_personal_info.php?order_id=3594907&greeting_id=&final_screen=light_candle&sign=8ef7178a17c185041fa154416e86be99

The funeral is taking place for the closest family

A open memorial will be held for Mika in the first few weeks of February You were all important for Mika and that’s why we want to invite you all to say farewell to him and share our memories and honor the man that’s no longer amongst us but will never be forgotten.
More information about time and place will come shortly, let us remember Mika with joy and warmth.


//Micha

Farewell Mika

Photo from the funeral, from Micha, and used with permission of the family...

A sad loss.  I remember posting a recommendation for a strength training programme and making the mistake of actually listing my numbers for the major lifts.  'I was lifting more than that in school!' came Mika's reply. 😂

I'm guilty more than most of thinking I'll get round to contacting distant friends 'tomorrow' or 'next week' or 'when I'm less busy'.  This should serve as a reminder that we can't take our friends' presence for granted.

RIP Big Man

Very sad news, indeed.
All my sincere condolences to the family and friends of Mika.

We knew each other through forums exchanges and mutual friends. No more, no less.

I was once tracking a Kasper/Polkowski knife on eBay, very well hidden under some strange label. Another guy on the planet was on it too and was actively participating to rise the biddings when I suddenly realized that it was Mika. Right away, I emailed him to make him know that it was now a free run for him to get the knife with the special harness. One or two days later, being the only bidder, he took the item at a smashing low price. Then, he wrote to me, with his very special nordic sense of humour : " Serge, you were so wrong to do that. ". Knowing perfectly that I'd understand his underground way to give me the thumb up.

I think about these lyrics, while Mika has reached out the other side :

En vainqueurs nous défilerons,
Nous n'avons pas seulement des armes,
Mais le diable marche avec nous.

He probably would liked these.

I feel so sad and ashamed that only now have I read about Mika's passing!

He was a real warrior who anyone would be honoured to call a friend and fear as an enemy!

The only time I was able to spend with Mika in person was at the Minds Eye shooting course in Sweden that Den has already mentioned,
I fondly remember that evening at the restaurant, I don't know how we ate we laughed so much.  After that Mika kindly invited us to his flat where we spent the evening talking about....everything, and admiring Mika's knife collection!

Farewell, there is sure to be a high seat at the table for you!

‘Tis with joy I cease. The goddesses of destiny are come to fetch me. Odin hath sent them from the habitation of the gods. I will be joyfully received into the highest seat; I will quaff full goblets among the gods. The hours of my life are past away. I die laughing.
from the Dying Ode of Ragnar Lodbrog

Sad to hear that he passed away. I met him at the International Seminars back in the days...
He was a nice and kind guy.

Stephan

Today marks the first anniversary of the tragic death of Mika. Let's all take a moment to remember our friend.

Just come across this photo from Camp Get Tough...

Very sad RIP

That was an awesome week, it's hard to believe so much time has passed. Mika's presence was so strong that you can still feel it.