John Cena meets a Ukrainian war refugee with Down syndrome after a teenage mother used his idol as a motive to escape

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John Cena meets a Ukrainian war refugee with Down syndrome after a teenage mother used his idol as a motive to escape

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A Ukrainian teenager reunited with his idol, famed WWE star and actor John Cena, this weekend after his mother used the fantasy of meeting him as a motivational tool to flee the war-torn city of Mariupol.

Liana Rohozhyna, the mother of Misha Rohozhyn, a 19-year-old with Down syndrome who can’t speak, has repeatedly told her son they were constantly traveling around Ukraine to find John Cena — when in reality the family was on fleeing a devastating war front and a Russian siege of their hometown, the Wall Street Journal reported.

“Misha is an example of approaching your dream by believing in it,” she said, according to the report.

MIAMI GARDENS, FL – APRIL 1: John Cena watches before his match against Dwayne ”The Rock” Johnson during WrestleMania XXVIII at Sun Life Stadium on April 1, 2012 in Miami Gardens, Florida.
(Ron Elkman/Sports Images/Getty Images)

The family’s journey was not easy, as they reportedly crossed minefields, came into contact with Russian soldiers, faced artillery attacks and crossed several national borders.

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But the idea of ​​meeting the legendary wrestler motivated the teenager to keep going.

According to the report, Misha and his mother safely arrived in the Netherlands last month, but they’ve still never fulfilled the motivational fantasy of meeting Cena.

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On Saturday, that fantasy became a reality when the hulking superstar paid Misha and his mum a visit to their new home in Huizen.

“I didn’t want a son to see his mother in a different light just because she did everything to keep him safe,” Cena said, according to the WSJ.

In this handout photo from a video released by the press service of the Ministry of Interior of the Donetsk People's Republic on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, smoke rises from the Azovstal Metallurgical Combine in Mariupol, located on the territory of the Government of the Donetsk People's Republic in located in eastern Ukraine.  (Press service of the Ministry of Interior of the Donetsk People's Republic via AP)

In this handout photo from a video released by the press service of the Ministry of Interior of the Donetsk People’s Republic on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, smoke rises from the Azovstal Metallurgical Combine in Mariupol, located on the territory of the Government of the Donetsk People’s Republic in located in eastern Ukraine. (Press service of the Ministry of Interior of the Donetsk People’s Republic via AP)
(Press service of the Ministry of Interior of the Donetsk People’s Republic via AP)

Cena gave Misha a hat and t-shirt with his WWE mantras on it, and the two ate a Ukrainian honey cake.

“If I have cake, will Misha have cake with me?” Cena asked the family through a translator, the WSJ reported. Mischa accepted excitedly.

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Seeing his idol was the first time Misha smiled since the start of the war, Rohozhyna told the outlet.

She also said that Misha’s room in her Ukrainian home was covered in Cena’s wrestling posters.

LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 21: John Cena dressed as the Peacemaker from "The Suicide Squad"can be seen "Jimmy Kimmel Live" on July 21, 2021 in Los Angeles, California.

LOS ANGELES, CA – JULY 21: John Cena dressed as the Peacemaker from ‘The Suicide Squad’ arrives at Jimmy Kimmel Live on July 21, 2021 in Los Angeles, California.
(Photo by RB/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)

However, that house became the target of Russian mortar fire on February 24, the first day of the Ukrainian-Russian War, and the two were forced to flee. They arrived at an animal shelter but had to leave after the power went out, the WSJ reported.

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According to the report, Misha was having a panic attack, which is why his mother decided against hiding in an underground facility. The two stayed at a day center that may have been subject to Russian artillery attacks before fleeing to the Netherlands.

A member of Russia's Emergencies Ministry walks near a destroyed residential building in Mariupol, Ukraine, Thursday, May 11.

A member of Russia’s Emergencies Ministry walks near a destroyed residential building in Mariupol, Ukraine, Thursday, May 11.
(Reuters/Alexander Ermochenko)

Before ending Saturday’s visit, Cena made Misha wear a WWE Championship belt and gave encouragement to the family.

“I tried to let it happen [Misha] I know today that we have good days and bad days on every trip,” Cena said Saturday afternoon, according to the report. “I hope he gets more good ones.”

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“I wanted to tell him personally today that I was very touched by his story,” the wrestler added.

Cena was visiting family from London where he was filming.

Mariupol remains under Russian control after they successfully captured it last month.

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