When Anaheim Ducks forward Ryan Kesler isn't going undercover to mingle with unknowing fans he's apparently busy being inspired by them.
In @Ryan_Kesler's locker? Cancer survivor Nevan Coburn's signed hockey card: https://t.co/Wxz6dAhDJg pic.twitter.com/fzHgagu8Mx
— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) February 18, 2016
Six-year-old Vancouver native Nevan Coburn is apparently a huge fan of Kesler, going back to his days with the Canucks organization. He fought a rare form of cancer when he was a baby:
At just 20 months old, Nevan was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer called germ cell teratoma. He underwent a number of chemotherapy sessions over the next several months, followed by intense follow-up appointments and blood work. He is now cancer-free, crediting the sport he loves, and especially Kesler, as motivation.
"I heard," Kesler said to him, "you're a fighter."
The Ducks are in Vancouver on Thursday, so the team and Kesler hosted Nevan and his mom at morning skate, with the tough young kid and his hockey hero getting some one-on-one time to hang out. A great moment for everyone involved, and pretty cool that Kesler is going to see Nevan's signed card every time he returns to the locker room during intermissions.