"The people are so great, they're so nice," said Nugent-Hopkins. "I really wanted to be a part of it and try to help out. I'm really happy to be involved with something like that."

Without much pause, Nugent-Hopkins names Carter as the one person he's really formed a bond with over the last few years.

"Carter is just the nicest kid I've ever met," he said. "You can actually learn a lot from a little guy like that. He's so strong and he really puts things into perspective for myself and everybody."

Carter's friendship is infectious.

As his involvement grows, Nugent-Hopkins has involved his family, friends and teammates. Two years ago one of those happened to be Letestu. The Oilers forward was sitting with the Hipkin when a bond formed quickly.

"We just kind of hit it off," Letestu said. "Just talking with his mom and him, he was kind of an unassuming kid. He just wanted to meet an Oiler. He didn't talk about how down he was about the disease he had or anything like that. He was just really excited about the Oilers. At the time, his mom and dad were telling me he had gone through some rough times. I gave him my number and said 'if you need anything text me.'"

Two years later, the bond Letestu and Carter formed has continued to grow.

"For the past two years, we just text back and forth, whether he's going through tough times or if I get a moment to just think about him, I'll text him and he does the same," said Letestu. "I've probably had more tough times recently where he's had to pick me up. He's become a pretty good friend of mine and someone I keep in contact with."

It's a common thing to see the impact professional athletes have on their fans, but sometimes it becomes something more special.

"Every little boy in the area looks up to these hockey players every day," said Mrs. Hipkin. "The personal relationship Ryan has developed with my son and others is amazing."

As Carter's mother, she has seen firsthand the impact Nugent-Hopkins' involvement has had on her son.

Carter was undergoing a particularly intimidating batch of testing last year, so much so that a psychologist was brought in to talk to the young boy. The doctor spoke with Carter to see how he was doing, and his response was nothing short of tear-jerking.

"My buddies Ryan and Mark they go through this," he said. "They can't quit when they're tired or throw up. They just keep going."

And so Carter pushed through, drawing on his Oilers friends for help.

"I had no idea he was drawing on their strength and relationship to get him through these medical treatments," said Mrs. Hipkin. That made my husband and I totally break down, because what they're doing for us is not just the money, not just the research - which is so important and what will ultimately help Carter live longer - but it's what they're doing for these kids."

Nugent-Hopkins and Letestu text Carter notes, and when Ryan runs into Stacy at events, the young man is always a topic of conversation.

"I don't meet up with Ryan and (his girlfriend) Breanne without them asking how Carter is doing.

'How is he feeling? Has he been able to stay out of the hospital?'

"My family and extended family, we all watch Carter and see how he draws on these players he's had an opportunity to meet and talk to, or even just see Ryan's face in the media, Ryan's face in newsletters and things, knowing he's fighting for him and his community in sickness is inspirational."

While the players have affected Carter in a positive way, it's a two-way street. When the players hear of Carter using them to give him strength, they refuse to take the credit.

"It more speaks to his character and his perspective," said Letestu. "He's never complained about his disease. He's fighting it. He's had to switch schools this year because of it. If we can help a little bit by just picking him up and texting him, it's become less about that and more about being a friend. Somebody needs you, and we try to be there for him. For him to use us as a means of support for what he's going through, it's pretty cool for us. But that's more about him and who he is as a person and shows what he's about."