WWE legend John Cena has reduced Twitter to tears after travelling to the Netherlands to meet a Ukrainian teenager with Down’s syndrome who fled Ukraine in March.
Cena spent an afternoon with Misha Rohozhyn, 19, and his mother, Liana, who shared her son’s “motivational fantasy” that the star would meet them at the end of their escape. Rohozhyn was initially upset when the Peacemaker actor wasn’t there.
Cena saw the story circulated online, explaining in the new viral video: “When I read about Misha’s story, it reached out to me – not just Misha‘s story but his mom’s as well.
“Having three days off from work right at the time I read the story, and being an hour away by air, it turned into ‘We’re going.’
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“And that means spending an afternoon building blocks, eating cake – that’s a special afternoon when it comes to new friends I was able to meet.”
He visited Rohozhyn at a refugee centre near Amsterdam.
“I’ve come a long way to see you. Very nice to see you. I’ve heard many things about you,” he says in the clip.
Cena continued: “Misha’s ability to embrace persistence is extraordinary, those words, ‘never give up’… they’re very powerful.
“I think Misha’s a great example and Misha’s mom, there’s two great examples about how persistence can lead to joy, even through the toughest of times.”
The pair compared muscles before thanking Rohozhyn for “giving him strength.”
He told the teen: “This was a wonderful adventure in which I got to meet a wonderful new friend; thank you for giving me strength.”
One Twitter user said they “cried my eyes out watching this video,” adding: “There will seriously never be another John Cena, he’s a real-life superhero.”
“That’s why he is the best,” another said. “Big Hearted & Golden Man it is.”
A third added: “This is so incredibly beautiful.”
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