The next few days will be hard for Mike Grier. At Christmas, we're all children at heart.

Watching the joyful looks on your kids' faces, your mind drifts back in time. You see your

mother in her bathrobe, a weary smile on her face, having done everything to make the day just

right.

"Yeah, it's been kind of rough the last couple of days," Grier said Tuesday. "As you get

close to Christmas, the emotions start to come. It'll be a tough time, but I'll have my wife

and kids (a son, 6, and daughter, 2) around. Being around her family and friends will help."

It has been two weeks since Wendy Grier died at age 67 after a 10-year battle with diabetes

and kidney disease. The veteran winger left the Sabres to be with his mother when she became

gravely ill and was by her side when she died.

Coach Lindy Ruff told Grier to take all the time he needed. Grier, who turns 35 on Jan. 5,

was torn. A team is a family. He's a leader and mentor. A part of him felt he was abandoning

his teammates.

"You don't want to feel like you're letting the guys down," he said. "We had some tough

games there. You'd like to be there for the guys. But I don't think I would have been any

good, anyway."

Grier was with them in spirit. He brought a new sense of accountability and pride to the

Sabres when he came back from San Jose. Ruff says Grier epitomizes the work ethic he wants in

his team. Grier is a commanding example. It's often unspoken, but it's there, whether he's in

the room or not.

If a man's character reflects his parents, Wendy Grier shines through her son. She was the

backbone of an athletic family. Her husband, Bobby, spent 20 years with the Patriots as a

coach, scout and vice president for pro personnel. He's now with the Texans.

Wendy gave up a career in social work to bring up two sons in suburban Boston. Her elder

son, Chris, followed his dad into the NFL. He's the college scouting director for the

Dolphins. Mike's dream was to play in the NHL.

Grier, a nephew of former NFL great Rosie Grier, became the first American-born and trained

black man to make the NHL. There was prejudice along the way. Wendy taught Mike to let it roll

off his powerful back. Score a goal, she'd say. That'll show them.

As a football wife, Wendy knew her husband would be away a lot. She would be mother and

father at times. She did it gladly, and without complaint.

"She was willing to do whatever the family needed," Grier said. "I remember her out

shoveling the driveway at night. No matter how tired she was, she made sure dinner was on the

table. She always found a way to do it.

"She never took the easy way. My dad was the same way. He sacrified a lot for us not to

move. I know he had other coaching opportunities when we were growing up, but he didn't want

to move us around as a family. So I guess their sacrifice and selflessness rubbed off."

She must have been a tough lady, Grier was asked. "Oh, yeah," Grier said, his voice

catching at the memory.

"I think she was in a lot of pain the last 10 years," he said. "She was on dialysis. It was

a long fight for her. She was always getting stuck with needles and having catheters and

things like that put in. She was always being hooked up to machines and tubes and stuff. But I

never once saw her complain about anything."

Hockey's little tasks, like skating harder and taking a hit along the boards, seem trivial

by comparison. All along, Wendy was Mike's captain, a true example of what we call a role

model.

"She makes me want to keep going," Grier said, "to live my life the right way and do things

that would make her proud of me. Enjoy my time with family and friends and try to be the best

father and husband I can be."

Mom would be proud to know she raised the best teammate, too.