“It was a surprise for my close circle” – 2024-03-06 03:36:43

Yle’s beloved TV announcer Maria Jungner has died at the age of 50. His death came as a complete surprise to his relatives and friends. Former chairman of PAM, the service industry trade union Ann Selin remembers his friend with great warmth.

The former chairman of the service industry trade union PAM remembers Maria Junger fondly. HELJÄ SALONEN

The two’s friendship may have been apart for long periods of time, but when they saw each other, the story continued where it left off. With special respect, Selin remembers how thoughtfully Maria Jungner supported her in 2016, when she was unexpectedly diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer.

– When I had tough moments, I couldn’t have asked for a better friend. Maria knew how to sympathize and did not force her views. Maria knew how to adjust to the situation and was also concretely supportive, Selin tells Iltalehte.

Selin saw many great qualities in Jungner.

– Lightness of character and the ability to expose oneself to support a friend. It’s an exceptional trait in a person, says Selin.

When Selin fell ill with breast cancer, she specifically asked Jungner to accompany her to the doctor’s office.

– It was a surprise to my close circle, because Maria was not my closest or longest-term friend in everyday life. He was exactly the kind of friend I felt could handle such a situation. He didn’t goof off or brag, but knew how to keep his feet on the ground and remain empathetic, Selin recalls.

The friends gave a joint interview to Iltalehti, where they talked about supporting each other.

– It was clear that I was leaving. I knew that at the doctor’s office, the patient himself, in his storm of emotions, neither hears nor remembers everything the doctor says afterwards, Maria Jungner told Iltalehti in an interview at the time.

At that time, Jungner said that he had met sick people many times in his life and that he had supported loved ones in difficult moments. Maria said that she also does volunteer work at a hospice hospital.

– When a tsunami of emotions comes, a friend is the one you can hold on to. I am not afraid of death, he said at the time.

Ann Selini and Maria Jungner’s paths crossed in the early 2010s.

– We met when her ex-husband Mikael was working for the Democratic Party. We met together at the SDP party meeting, which was then organized in Joensuu. We had seen each other before, but it was at the party meeting that we started talking properly and that’s where our contact started, he says.