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Manila Bulletin devider Entertainment devider Celebrities devider John Cena fulfills dream of Ukrainian teen refugee

John Cena fulfills dream of Ukrainian teen refugee

Published Jun 13, 2022 01:28 pm
John Cena poses with Ukrainian teenager Misha Rohozhyn and his mother after the star flew to meet them in the Netherlands (YouTube/WWE)

By Carissa Alcantara

Misha Rohozhyn, 19, is a Ukrainian refugee with Down syndrome who was forced to evacuate from his home after the Russian invasion. 

Misha's mother, Liana, used a clever idea that they will meet his son's real-life hero WWE wrestler and actor John Cena, to keep him motivated and stress-free while fleeing from their town in Mariupol. 

His family's journey was not easy as they traversed minefields, came into contact with Russian soldiers, faced artillery strikes, and crossed several national borders.

Misha's family was transferred to the Netherlands last month. Upon hearing his story, John himself made the boy's dream come true by making a surprise visit to Misha's current home. 

John gave his iconic green shirt with his WWE mantras, and he even let Misha hold his WWE championship belt. The two also had Ukrainian honey cake. 

"I wanted to tell him today personally that his story really touched me," the wrestler said in a report. 

According to Liana, it was the first time Mischa smiled after going away from their home. She also shared that her son's room back in Ukraine is full of John's wrestling posters. 

John visited the family from London, where he was filming. 

Watch the video below of John and Mischa meeting for the first time. 
https://twitter.com/wwe/status/1534275450192777216

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