Howie Borden Returns to Play Bemidji Oldtimer Hockey After Surviving Bout with Cancer

During the winter on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2 p.m., you’ll find the Bemidji Oldtimers playing hockey at the Bemidji Community Arena. The group was created three years ago for hockey players aged 60 and older that wanted to continue playing their favorite pastime. But for some, the Oldtimers’ Hockey has come to represent a whole lot more than just time spent on the ice.

The Oldtimers might be old in age, but they are still young at heart, enjoying the game they grew up loving, with the friends they grew up with. There is one skater, however, that has been notably absent as of late: Howie Borden.

“Last time I played hockey with all these guys here, that was before COVID,” said the 72-year-old Bemidji Oldtimer. “I was diagnosed with bladder and prostate cancer. They operated and took them both out.”

Initially, recovery looked good for Howie, but in 2017 they found cancer in his stomach, and it was accompanied with unwelcome news. “They went through all the testing and they told me I had a year to live.”

But Howie wasn’t ready to give up, and he motivated by two things: family and hockey. He chose to undergo a round of chemotherapy, then opted for more surgeries that removed most of his stomach, gallbladder, spleen, and a number of tumors before he could finally rest easy.

“I was just recuperating and took me a whole year, but finally [I have] been cancer-free now for two years.”

After defying the odds to beat cancer, now he decided he would try defying some new odds.

“I really, really wanted to get out and try skating again,” he said. “I came out in my street clothes and my skates and was able to get around a little bit, so I threw my equipment on and it’s just been great.”

It was great for his fellow skaters as well, who were grateful to have him back and amazed by what he was doing.

“For him to come back from the bout of cancer is just remarkable,” said Rick Coe, a Bemidji Oldtimer and lifelong friend of Howie’s. “I don’t know of anybody that’s ever done that, especially with the sport of hockey. There are a lot of us. You’ll get aches and pains and we’re sick and we’re thinking we can’t play anymore, but if Howie’s here, we’re going to play.”

Many of the Oldtimers are part of the Bemidji Senior Hockey Association, and with funds they raised at their hockey tournament this year, they chose to donate $1,500 to the Joe Lueken Cancer Center through the Sanford Health Foundation.

“It was so neat to get the call from the crew donating, and the meaning behind it is so special that one of their own had cancer and was treated here,” said Emily Aitken, Sanford Health Foundation Senior Development Officer. “My favorite part about my job is being able to work with amazing people who want to make our community and our hospital system better. And it generally does stem from friendships and families and sadly losses, but then there’s a lot of good stories like Howie’s that bring hope and healing to a lot of us in the community.”

And the Bemidji Oldtimers are a microcosm of that community, brought together by the game of hockey.

“We’re very close,” said Rick. “Some of these guys, 40 and 50 years of playing together, they’re family. And when you lose a part of your family, it hurts.”

But they did not lose Howie. And now that he’s back, it’s as if he never left, enjoying the game he grew up loving with the friends he grew up with.

“You just can’t describe the feeling,” added Howie, “I’ve been in hockey all my life, you know, since I’ve been little kid and playing with these guys is just great.”

The Bemidji Oldtimers only have a few more skates left before the end-of-the-season tournament in a few weeks.