10 Things You Didn't Know About Nikolai Volkoff

10. His Father Had One Simple Request Before He Left Home

In a 2006 interview with political site Right Wing News, Nikolai Volkoff told of his father's eternal wish to see him succeed in life. He also didn't blame his son for wanting to leave the oppressive Communist regime rife in Yugoslavia; as a side note, Nikolai always considered himself Croatian rather than Yugoslavian, but admitting that was a strict no-no at the time.

Before Volkoff left the family nest and struck out on his own, his father asked one simple thing: that he finish school.

This was solid advice. At the time, Nikolai was a 15-year old teenager with big dreams, but his dad knew how important it was to have an education behind him. Agreeing with his dad's suggestion and keen to grant his wish, Volkoff raced through school and graduated aged 17. Then, and only then, could he think about leaving the country.

That's when another problem reared its ugly head. Without a passport, Nikolai wouldn't be able to get into North America, and that's ultimately where he wanted to be.