"This is the fifth year," Nichols explained. "In the first four years we've raised over $300,000 dollars for spinal cord injury research; that's a huge benchmark. I'm hoping we reach over $400,000 after this year. This injury has taught me to open my eyes and open my mind. I like to use a quote, 'Can you see with your mind and think with your eyes?' I see things and the world today - when you go to New York for example, all the cabs are very difficult for me. As a person that wasn't in a wheelchair before, I never would have seen that, so now that I see it, I have to think about what I want for the rest of the world for the future. The first 17 years of my life I lived for passion, and the last five years I've lived for purpose. And my purpose is to create a world without wheel chairs. If you asked me, 'Are you ever content?' I'll be content when I'm the last person in a wheelchair. When everyone else is out, that's when I'll be content."
"We've known Mikey Nichols for a while," Daneyko said prior to taking the ice. "He's a local hero around here and he's done so much for spinal cord research, and we obviously knew of the Reeve Foundation. So, this became a great event to give back a little and give what we can, with fans who come and support us and alumni teams participating along the way. It's fun to get back on the ice for a great cause. I hope we get a great turn-out and a lot of support. It's great to see the whole hockey community come together for a wonderful event."
Prior to puck drop, Nichols visited the star-studded locker rooms at Prudential Center to talk to the players. In Team Reeve's locker room, he talked to former Devils players such as Bryce Salvador, Ken Daneyko, Bruce Driver and Mike Rupp, as well as 2018-19 Riveters Michelle "Shelly" Picard and Kelsey Koelzer. In Team Boomer's locker room, he chatted with former New York Jet and WFAN's Boomer Esiason, former Ranger Alexei Kovalev, and former Islanders Rick DiPietro and Darius Kaparitis.
