By Dominic Arthur, Staff Reporter.
Most of the world has heard of the fast-paced, action-packed, and choreographed world of professional wrestling by now. Recently, however, the world of professional wrestling has pulled back the veil of whacky characters and outrageous storylines to show it’s audience a softer, more serious side through it’s work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a non-profit organization that’s founded on providing children with life-threatening medical conditions with fantastic experiences better known as “wishes.” These experiences can be a variety of things that the child wishes for, including meeting some of their favorite celebrities from television or the big screen. This is where professional wrestling tags in to makes it’s presence felt.
World Wrestling Entertainment, or WWE, has been working side-by-side with the foundation for over thirty years. The long partnership has given fans the opportunity to see a more thoughtful and meaningful side to the company that typically hosts clowns and other twisted characters on your television screen. It has provided many of its Make-A-Wish fans with the chance of a lifetime; it lets children meet their favorite wrestlers and hang out behind the scenes during shows and other live events.
WWE Superstar John Cena is the titleholder for the most wishes granted by a single individual at over 450 wishes. Cena, however, wasn’t the first wrestler to ever grant a wish. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Randy Orton, and a litany of other superstars have made the dreams come true for many fans from the foundation. They’ve touched lives and created memories for them to hold on to forever.
Recently, the WWE granted a wish that most people have seen by now: the wish of 8-year-old Connor “The Crusher” Michalek. Not only did Connor see numerous shows and was able to go backstage to see many of the WWE Superstars, the WWE invited Connor to attend their biggest pay-per-view of the year: Wrestlemania 30, which happened this past April. In the front row, “The Crusher” saw his idol Daniel Bryan capture the World’s Heavyweight Championship. That night after his in-ring celebration, Daniel Bryan spotted Connor in the sea of thousands of people and got out of the ring to come face-to-face with him, telling him to, “Please keep on fighting.”
Connor since then has sadly passed away. He left behind a new light on the world of professional wrestling and no matter how ridiculous it may be to some, it’s extremely special to others. The WWE and the Make-A-Wish foundation have built a bond that will not be broken despite how unhinged the world of professional wrestling can be. It has also created some very touching, and heart-wrenching moments for fans, and non-fans alike, to hold on to and enjoy for years and years to come.