Fleeing mom told son with Down Syndrome they were leaving Ukraine to meet his idol John Cena, and then THIS
During a recent European tour, John Cena made time to meet with a fan who escaped Ukraine with his mother. Misha Rohozhyn, a nonverbal 19-year-old with Down syndrome, escaped the war-torn country with his mother, Liana Rohozhyn, after their home in Mariupol was destroyed.
Liana encouraged Misha throughout the journey by telling him they were on their way to see his hero, Cena, according to a video posted to the WWE's YouTube channel. On June 5, Sunday, Cena made Misha's wish a reality by traveling to a property outside of Amsterdam where the immigrants were residing. Cena is seen greeting Misha with a handshake and embrace before telling the adolescent, “I’ve come a long way to see you. I’ve heard many things about you.” Cena appeared wearing his branded shirt and cap with his "Never Give Up" tagline, and he gave it to Misha, who subsequently wore it. He also presented Misha with a WWE Championship belt.
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“When I read about Misha’s story, it reached out to me — not just Misha’s story, but the story of Misha’s mom as well,” Cena said in the video. “Having three days off from work right at the time when I read this story, and being an hour away by air, it turned immediately into, ‘We’re going.'” He continued, “And that means spending an afternoon building blocks and eating cake. That’s a special afternoon when it comes to the new friends I was able to meet.”
“What a wonderful way to spend a Saturday. Misha and his mother, Liana, define #NeverGiveUp.” The celebrity tweeted after the trip.
What a wonderful way to spend a Saturday. Misha and his mother, Liana define #NeverGiveUp.
— John Cena (@JohnCena) June 7, 2022
Thank you to the @WSJ and @WWE who helped make this special visit possible. https://t.co/RpriCvjN3K
Several users reacted to the heartwarming meetup on Twitter. Political correspondent Gavan Reilly wrote, "Misha, a non-verbal teen with Down’s Syndrome, didn’t understand why his family had to flee Mariupol this year. To placate him, his mother told him they were travelling to meet John Cena. Cena heard… and went to Amsterdam to oblige. Just brilliant." A user replied to him, "There are some really good people in the world. Doing something like that goes above an beyond. Proper role model." "Wonderful gesture in an unimaginably awful situation," a user commented. "I'm not crying you are - amazing," a user wrote.
Misha, a non-verbal teen with Down’s Syndrome, didn’t understand why his family had to flee Mariupol this year.
— Gavan Reilly (@gavreilly) June 11, 2022
To placate him, his mother told him they were travelling to meet John Cena.
Cena heard… and went to Amsterdam to oblige.
Just brilliant. pic.twitter.com/vix2OhkXZs
There are some really good people in the world. Doing something like that goes above an beyond. Proper role model
— Podge (@podgem84) June 11, 2022
Prior to the visit, the Wall Street Journal reported in May that Misha had been sobbing in his Amsterdam hotel room earlier that month because Cena had yet to appear. “I tell him, ‘We’re not finished with our journey, but we need to stop here and save up a little for a ticket to America, to find him there," Liana told the newspaper at the time. Liana told Cena via a translator at the end of the visit, “John, thank you. You have a big heart.”