The death of three-year-old Ottawa Senators fan Elgin Fraser has served as inspiration to the hockey team in their playoff drive to the Stanley Cup finals, according to the boy's parents.
"You can't promise things like the Stanley Cup," Elgin's father Hamish Fraser told Canada AM, "but we know that they're going to promise to work as hard as they can ... which is all Elgin would ever want from them."
After Ottawa Senator Mike Fisher received news of Elgin's death, he phoned the Frasers to say the Sens would do their best to win the Stanley Cup for Elgin.
"He's just an awesome kid and he made a difference in my life," Fisher said. "I was thinking about him obviously through this series and through the week and we're trying to obviously win it for him."
Fisher, Elgin's favourite player, paid a visit to the Fraser home just two days before he died playing with toy cars and watching movies with the child.
Three-year-old Elgin Fraser ended his battle with cancer Saturday -- just hours after he watched his favourite team, the Ottawa Senators, win a place in the Stanley Cup finals.
Propped up on a mattress in front of the television, Elgin closed his eyes and drifted away Saturday evening as his parents Hamish and Victoria Fraser held him tight.
His aunts, uncles and grandparents were there to say goodbye and how much they would miss him.
"We actually sang 'O Canada' to him during his last few breaths which was his favourite song," his mother Victoria Fraser told Canada AM. "And I'm sure he was singing with us and there was no signs of stress on his face or anything. He just went really peacefully. It was really nice."
Elgin died of a rare form of childhood cancer that affects the nervous system called neuroblastoma. He was diagnosed with cancer at the age of nine months. His tiny body went through numerous radiation treatments, chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant, which pushed the disease into remission.
After a year, however, the cancer returned in the form of a tumour in his torso that spread to his spinal cord.
Thanks to mutual friends and supporters, the Fraser family was able to make some of Elgin's hockey dreams come true in his final few months.
Elgin, perhaps the most dedicated Senators fan under the age of five, became a fast friend of the team.
The Frasers were introduced to Sens defenceman Chris Phillips and were invited to a Senators practice in April, just days before the team's opening playoff round.
On Elgin's third birthday, Phillips dropped by the Frasers' home to play hockey with him.
The family was also able to attend every home playoff game through the generous donation of tickets from supporters.
Elgin saw his final game on Wednesday night.
Donning his customary Sens jersey and a sawed-off hockey stick, he watched the showdown with his family and later met with Sens centre Fisher, goaltender Ray Emery and Phillips.
Phillips promised Elgin they would win their final game and make it to the playoffs for him.
Elgin's funeral will be held Thursday at 4 p.m. at the Carleton Place Arena.
The family is asking for any donations to be made to the Ottawa Neuroblastoma Research Fund, Roger's House or the Ottawa Senators Foundation.
With a report from CTV's Graham Richardson
