A young wrestling fan battling cerebral palsy got the surprise of a lifetime after coming face-to-face with his hero, WWE superstar John Cena, at a recent live WWE event.
The little boy is 12-year-old Payton Marion, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth. According to his father Justin, Payton is “all there mentally” but suffers from debilitating physical issues as a result of his condition.
As Justin says, Payton’s two favourite sports in the world are NASCAR, and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) wrestling — and his favourite athlete by far is John Cena, the 16-time WWE World Champion and one of the biggest stars in the company.
“The impact these two sports have had on my son have been soothing and very helpful on his development,” Justin said.
“The joy on his face and the fast, rapid movement his little arm goes, when he hears John Cena’s intro music… is overwhelming and heartwarming.”
In fact, Justin credits Cena for inspiring and motivating his son during his physical rehabilitation sessions, even referring to his energetic right arm as his “wrestling arm.”
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So when Justin heard the WWE would he holding a live event in his hometown of Johnson City, Tenn., he was determined to arrange a meeting between his son and his hero. Justin even opened a GoFundMe page to raise the US$1000 needed to afford two VIP tickets, which included a meet-and-greet with WWE stars.
Unfortunately, they discovered Cena was not among the wrestlers in the backstage meet-and-greet. But fate — as well as Cena’s opponent that night, AJ Styles — intervened.
The above video captures what happened next, as Cena emerged from the locker room to share a touching moment with one of his biggest fans.
“I saw you at ringside!” Cena exclaims, taking the boy’s hand in his.
“You have no idea how much this means to him,” his father replies. “He is your ultimate fan. You’re the reason he can use this arm right here.”
The touching video has exploded in popularity since it was posted last week, accumulating nearly 300,000 views and being covered by numerous sports outlets including Sports Illustrated.
Of course, the touching exchange is nothing new for Cena.
In 2015, Cena granted his 500th wish for the Make a Wish Foundation, by far the most of any athlete in the charity’s history. He is also the most requested celebrity of any kind in the history of the organization, which arranges “wishes” for children battling life-threatening conditions.
“The fact he made time for my son after the event, speaks a lot,” Marion said. “It was late, and I’m sure he was ready to leave. My son’s life has been changed, and I’m forever grateful for his time.”
WATCH BELOW: A look back at John Cena’s 500 Make-A-Wish wishes