TORONTO | Like all boys his age, Roberto Luongo dreamed of playing in the NHL. He never doubted that he would achieve his goal.
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Her parents Antonio and Pasqualina still remember this time well. We had the opportunity to meet her at the hotel of the one who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame tonight.
“When he was little, Roberto was ambitious and passionate,” says Pasqualina Luongo. He always worked hard and was conscientious.
“He was always like, ‘Mom, Dad, I want to play in the NHL one day. He was two or three years old. He never doubted himself.
Mathieu Boulay – JDM
Pasqualina and Antonio Luongo are very proud of their son Roberto. In a few hours he will be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
However, his parents were realistic. They knew the odds of hitting the best circuit in the world.
“When asked if he had anything else in mind, he kept saying he was going to play in the NHL. He said that to everyone. He never wanted to do anything else, even though he did very well in school.
Midget AAA: the click
It took the guardian’s parents a few years to see their son’s potential. They wanted him to stay on the school desks for as long as possible.
“We realized the extent of his potential when the agents started contacting us,” specifies Antonio Luongo. We didn’t know that and we didn’t know what they were used for. Our child was only 15 years old.
Roberto’s selection with the Montreal-Bourassa Canadiens came with a $2,500 bill. This good news came with a moment of trepidation.
“We had some financial problems,” confirms Ms. Luongo. We didn’t expect him to play bantam midget AAA in his second year.
“It was expensive. Looks like fate was destined for him. We got help from several people. Everyone helped us in their own way, like my father with his goalkeeping kit.
“Today there are several people who we have to thank and who we will never forget. We will always be very grateful.”
An agreement
Prior to the 1995 QMJHL Draft, the goaltender and his parents had reached an agreement.
“He was told that if he didn’t get drafted in the top six overall, he would go to the United States to study and play ice hockey,” says Ms. Luongo. His chances of playing in the NHL would be less if he continued to be drafted. Playing in the NHL was like winning by 6/49!
“We thought he could have a diploma and a career. When he played in the QMJHL, we feared he wouldn’t finish his studies. He had so much academic potential.”
The Val-d’Or Foreurs picked the keeper second overall and the parents had no choice but to respect the pact with their son. At the age of 16 he took over management of Val-D’Or. A message that caused a stir in the Italian family.
Luckily, Roberto found himself in a family of two with Italian roots. It felt like home.
It was the beginning of a long and beautiful career for the goalkeeper.
A great pride
In the next few hours, her son Roberto will be inducted into the Hall of Fame. His parents will be filled with pride as they see the eldest of their three children take the stage at Meridian Hall.
“It’s like unreal,” says Ms. Luongo. I never believed in my remotest dreams that he would ever be inducted into the Hall of Fame.
“I’ve always been a huge hockey fan and I know several players who are already in the temple. It’s a pride to see that Roberto will now be among them.
“He deserves this honor. We made the sacrifices, but he was the one who got it all.”
“We don’t see Roberto as a star, but as a son,” adds Antonio Luongo. We’re proud of him. We look forward to seeing him in the temple.”