Picture this. You are a mom in a war-torn country. The government recommends evacuation immediately. You have a special needs teenager who doesn’t understand why he is being ripped away from everything he has ever known and loved.
What do you do?
You do what every mother does when there is no other option to save her child. You lie.
This is exactly the situation Ukrainian mom Liana Rohozhyn found herself in last March. Her 19- year-old son, Misha Rohozhyn, is a non-verbal John Cena superfan with Down syndrome.
Since Misha did not feel an urgency to leave Mariupol, his mother told him a life-saving white lie: that they were leaving Mariupol to meet the American World Wrestling Entertainment superstar. With Misha onboard, they set off for anunknown life in the Netherlands … with John Cena nowhere to be found. Though Misha was disappointed not to see his hero, he was safe, and that is what mattered.
However, true heroes exist, and miracles do happen.
Cena, after reading the heartbreaking story, knew what he had to do. Fortunately, he was in Europe for work, so he made special arrangements to be there for Misha. He made his way to the Netherlands and even further into the heart of his biggest fan. The superstar wrestler met the mother and son in Amsterdam, where they made a day out of eating cake and playing with building blocks.
“Misha’s ability to embrace persistence, it’s extraordinary,” Cena says in a video posted on Twitter by WWE. “I think Misha’s a great example [and] Misha’s mom are two great examples of how persistence can lead to joy. Even through the toughest of times.” he continues.
Cena is known for his altruism. Not only did he drop everything to see Misha, but he also holds the record for the most “Make-a-Wish” wishes granted by meeting over 600 sick and dying children.
We have always known Cena for his wrestling and his acting, but how perfect it is that a lie born of necessity in war-torn Ukraine could show the world the true hero he has always been.
Cena retweeted the video of his visit, writing “What a wonderful way to spend a Saturday. Misha and his mother, Liana define #NeverGiveUp.”
What a wonderful way to spend a Saturday. Misha and his mother, Liana define #NeverGiveUp.
Thank you to the @WSJ and @WWE who helped make this special visit possible. https://t.co/RpriCvjN3K
— John Cena (@JohnCena) June 7, 2022
