Erling Stordahl - the founder of Beitostølen Health Sports Center
"I believe in something great, that we are all weak and therefore need each other, in this the light is created."
Erling Stordahl left behind an impressive life's work when he died in 1994. He was known throughout Norway and far beyond the country's borders.
He became the Norwegian accordion champion at the age of 15, and together with Gunnar Engedahl, he was the entertainer who in the 1950s competed for position on the charts with names like Elvis Presley and Cliff Richard.
Erling Stordahl's life was mostly about the fight for the rights of people with disabilities. To a large extent, it is his merit that Norwegian society in the 1960s underwent a change in attitude towards people with disabilities, and their right to live active and social lives with work, culture, sports and outdoor experiences.
Throughout his life, Erling focused on the possibilities – not the limitations.
"Today, in my thirty-fourth year, I can truly say with my hand on my heart that my disability has become a big plus. I feel convinced that my vision loss has given my life a deeper meaning and a greater and richer content than it otherwise would have had. Why has it become like this? I think it is primarily because I have tried to see my disability as a school, something to learn from."
In his adventurous life, Erling Stordahl writes personal letters to Emperor Haile Selassie in Ethiopia, and receives a private letter from US President Ronald Reagan. He has an audience with the Pope, gives a speech to 51 US generals in the Pentagon and gives the keynote address at a UNESCO conference in Washington in 1982. Through his involvement, he becomes on first name terms with majesties, ministers, clergy and other social leaders in many countries, and he recognizes thousands of other "ordinary" people by their voices.
He got the King and the Crown Prince to compete in the first Knights' Run in 1964, an experience that made such a strong impression on them that members of the royal family have since stood as the Knights' Run's high patrons.
For his groundbreaking work and his unstoppable and lifelong commitment to people with disabilities, he received a number of awards. Among other things, in 1994 he was appointed Commander of the Order of St. Olav.
Erling Stordahl died on October 31, 1994. He was honored with a state funeral. Erling was given his own grave at his father's farm Storedal in Skjeberg. The inscription on the tombstone ends with his own words:
"I believe in something great, that we are all weak and therefore need each other, in this the light is created."
It is with humility and great inspiration that Beitostølen Health Sports Center carries on the legacy of Erling Stordahl, in step with society's need for active rehabilitation.
You can find more about Erling Stordahl in the books:
Erling Stordahl: The Path Over the Mountain. Oslo, 1957
Otto Johansen: The Knight's Leap – Erling Stordahl and his world. Oslo, 1972
Espen Andersen: Erling Stordahl – enthusiast and pioneer. Oslo, 2010.
Tor Harald Skogheim and Inge Morisbak: The Knight's Race at Beitostølen. The Arena of Possibilities for 50 Years. Oslo, 2013
Jon Gangdal: The art of the possible. 50 years of Beitostølen Health Sports Center . Oslo, 2019
