BY: Christopher Botta

On Feb. 3, Jeff and Dorie Christian picked up their 8-year-old daughter Ryan, their only child, from school and spent the rest of the day as a family. In their latest hometown of Independence, Mo. -- Jeff is a 20-year pro hockey player now playing in the Central League -- the Christians went to Walmart and watched Ryan practice with her basketball team.

"Just a nice, normal, beautiful day," said Jeff, a 1988 second-round pick of the New Jersey Devils and now a player-assistant coach with the Missouri Mavericks.

http://nhl.fanhouse.com/2010/03/09/h...ive-ryan-hope/