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The Rock meets his 10-year-old hero who saved his brother from drowning

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson meets his 10-year-old hero, Jacob.
Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson meets his 10-year-old hero, Jacob. The Rock Instagram

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has a lot of fans around the world but now he’s had the chance to meet his hero.

Ten-year-old Jacob O’Connor was invited to the Vancouver set of The Rock’s new movie Skyscraper after a story went viral about Jacob saving his two-year-old brother’s life.

The 10-year-old had recently watched San Andreas, in which Johnson plays a rescue helicopter pilot, and at one point rescues his daughter from a near drowning.

Jacob said he remembered Johnson doing chest compressions in the scene; he mimicked them on his brother, an act credited with saving the toddler’s life.

“There was an earthquake, then it caused a tsunami and then there was a daughter that was drowning and [The Rock] had to get her out and he did the same thing,” Jacob said in late August.
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A few days after the story went viral, The Rock invited Jacob, his brother and his mom to meet him in Vancouver.

WATCH: Dwayne Johnson invites boy who rescued his brother to Vancouver

Click to play video: 'Dwayne Johnson invites boy who rescued his brother to Vancouver'
Dwayne Johnson invites boy who rescued his brother to Vancouver

“Jacob, I’m so proud of you, so much so I have got to meet you. I have got to shake the hand of a real-life hero,” said Johnson.

The Rock flew Jacob and his family to Vancouver where they were VIPs on the set of Skyscraper.

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The movie star said Jacob was nervous and shy when they first met but he eventually got some laughs out of him.

The kids got to eat all the chocolate and candy they could possibly want.

And he had a hug for mom as well:

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Johnson also posted a video explaining the shirt Jacob wore to the set, which he made himself.

It had the actor’s bull insignia on the front and on the back was a picture of Johnson holding his two puppies, Brutus and Hobbs, after he had rescued them from the pool.

Johnson said seeing that “got him in the gut” because Jacob has such a big heart he put Johnson’s two puppies on his shirt even after he saved his brother’s life.

“What a special day. What a special kid. Thanks Jacob for being awesome and for being the kind of person we all aspire to be,” wrote Johnson on Instagram.

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Jacob was super nervous and shy the whole time we hung out, so it was fun getting him to laugh and talk. He threw me for an unexpected spin when he showed up on set wearing a shirt that he proudly made with my bull insignia on the front and on the back was the picture of me holding our two puppies, Brutus and Hobbs, after I rescued them from our pool. Seeing that picture on this boy's shirt, got me in the gut. Eventually, we would lose Brutus to heaven, but it wasn't the picture of Brutus that made me tear up, it was the fact that this 10yr old kid, had a heart big enough to put our puppies on his shirt after he saved his little 2yr old brother's life. What a special day. What a special kid. Thanks Jacob for being awesome and for being the kind of person we all aspire to be. ~ DJ

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— With files from Simon Little, CKNW, and Katie Scott

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