It's been four years since Mike Nichols' life changed forever at Skylands Ice World and since he first turned his spinal-cord injury into a positive with a charity hockey game.
And four years into his journey, the former Monroe hockey player still hasn't lost his drive for giving back and making an impact.
"I envision a world without wheelchairs," Nichols said. "And until there's a world without wheelchairs – not only me out of a wheelchair, I mean the entire world without wheelchairs – I'm going to do it."
That's why, come Friday, Nichols will be posted up at the Prudential Center, hosting the Fourth Annual Mike Nichols Charity Hockey Game, which is presented by CBS Radio’s “Boomer & Gio” morning show and benefits both the Nichols Family Trust and theChristopher and Dana Reeve Foundation.
The list of former NHL players – including a number of former Devils, Rangers and Islanders – and other public figures participating is impressive and has seemingly grown with each and every year, too.
"I can only imagine how busy those guys' schedules are...and they're taking their time out to come play for me and they get nothing out of it," Nichols said. "They just have fun and that's honestly amazing.
"The game of hockey is just about fun, that's why I played it in the first place. And these former NHL guys and Boomer (Esiason), they're telling me how fun the game is for them and what not. It just brings me back to being a little kid, watching them on TV and playing with them on my GameCube."
The 23 players – which have been divided into "Team Reeve" and "Team Boomer" – will take the ice Friday night, with puck drop set for 7 p.m. and doors opening at 6 p.m. Tickets are $23 dollars in honor of Nichols' former number and can be purchased here until Thursday or at the door come game day.
Team Reeve
Marek Zidlicky
Erika Lawler
Colin White
Tommy Albelin
Jim Dowd
Will Reeve
Bruce Driver
Randy Velischek
Michelle Picard
Grant Marshall
Scott Clemmensen
Gregg Giannotti
Team Boomer
Tom Laidlaw
Rob Scuderi
Boomer Esiason
Kevin Westgarth
Brian Mullen
Steve Webb
Alexi Kovalev
Colton Orr
Rick DiPietro
Arron Asham
Arda Ocal
Matt Stypulkoski may be reached at mstypulkoski@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @M_Stypulkoski. Like NJ.com High School Sports on Facebook.