In a heartfelt interview with People.com, 17-time World Champion John Cena reflected on his long-standing relationship with Make-A-Wish and how he strives to make each meeting truly unforgettable.
Cena, who holds the record for the most wishes granted in the organization’s history, explained why he never hesitates to stop what he’s doing to spend time with children and their families.
“I’m so grateful for the time I’ve been able to spend on Make-A-Wish. I’m even more grateful that my fellow superstars—my co-workers, my colleagues—now look at it as an aspirational thing, because they’re only going to want to meet John Cena for a little bit. And the reason I just drop what I’m doing in that environment to do whatever I can is because the experience can truly make a difference.”
Cena revealed that he goes beyond standard meet-and-greets, often gifting his own ring gear to the children as part of their experience.
“To talk with the families, just like I’m talking right now—you get to kit them up for the night. You get to give them stuff like, ‘I came to see this person,’ and I say, ‘Well, here’s all the stuff I have.’ And with me, it’s a great lineup, because it’s my ring gear. I’m not giving them a t-shirt that looks like me in wrestling tights. I’m like, ‘Hey, this is the stuff I’m going to wear. Here you go.’”
Cena also shared that he takes advice from the kids on what to do in his matches—and actually incorporates their suggestions.
“And then I’ll ask them for advice. They’ll be like, ‘Oh, you should do this move.’ And I’ll just go put it in the match, because we’re entertainment. I think that’s the absolute magic of sports entertainment. No one in the audience knows that that young person was like, ‘Hey, I want you to do this move,’ and it will seamlessly be put into the performance. But it will affect both of us on a plane that’s indescribable.”
Cena’s dedication to Make-A-Wish continues to be one of the most celebrated aspects of his career, showing that his impact extends far beyond the wrestling ring.
