Alicia True from Kids Wish Network sent along the following:
Bruce Gets Up Close and Personal with his Hero, John Cena
SUITLAND, Md. – With a little help from Kids Wish Network, 6-year-old Bruce, who suffers from Hemophilia, has his wish to meet WWE Superstar John Cena granted.
There is nothing that could make a child happier than meeting his or her hero, but for a spunky little sports fan named Bruce, his excitement overflowed when he met his hero and was even a celebrity for almost a whole week.
It all started with a conversation between a nurse and Bruce’s mother, Natasha, about Kids Wish Network, an organization that grants the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses.
You see, Bruce has Type A Hemophilia. This is an inherited blood disorder that causes a lack of clotting, which leads to severe, almost constant bleeding. Bruce has to deal with breakthrough bleeds for which he is then hospitalized, even though he is on various medications to try to prevent this.
When Natasha called Kids Wish Network, she was surprised to find that they were more than willing to help her little guy. After the initial call, it wasn’t long before Bruce was telling Wish Coordinator Jill all about his wish to meet his favorite WWE Superstar, John Cena.
With the help of Wish Funding Specialist Doris and some outstanding sponsors, Jill organized a wish that would make Bruce feel like the world revolved around him for almost a whole week. Starting with a limo ride to take Bruce to his meeting with John Cena prior to watching a WWE Raw wrestling match, Jill also arranged for Bruce and his family to enjoy seats at a St. Louis Cardinals baseball game and even dinners at the Hard Rock Café, Houlihan’s and the Beechwood Bistro!
“He had a ball…we all had a ball,” said Natasha of her son’s wish trip. “He really enjoyed it. Everything was fantastic.”
Though Bruce enjoyed the Cardinals game and really had a blast playing 3D Glow Golf in St. Louis, his favorite part of the whole trip was definitely meeting John Cena at the WWE Raw match, though the limo ride was a close second.
“We weren’t expecting that,” said Natasha of the limousine that would take them to the Scottrade Center to bring Bruce face to face with his hero. “He really felt like a celebrity. He didn’t know what to do when he saw the limo…he was jumping all around!”
Once at the Scottrade Center, it was time to meet John Cena.
“When John Cena walked in the room, he [Bruce] was almost hyperventilating,” said Natasha. “He was really nervous at first, but John Cena was very down to Earth. He made Bruce feel comfortable…he gave him a shirt, hat and wristbands. Bruce wore them all night!”
There was nothing more that Bruce could have asked for, but the excitement wasn’t over. After meeting John Cena, it was time to watch him live in the ring. “I don’t think Bruce paid attention to me at all [at the match],” said Natasha. “We were three rows from the ring. It was great for him.”
When it was time for Bruce and his family to pack up and go home, he definitely didn’t want to leave. Of course, now that he’s back home, he won’t stop talking about his meeting with John Cena. He even can’t wait for school to start, just so he can tell everyone about what he got to do in the past week.
“He’ll remember it for the rest of his life,” said Natasha. “It was really a dream come true. It was much more than we ever expected. Thank you.”
Kids Wish Network would like to thank the following for helping to make Bruce’s wish extra special: The National Black Police Association, the WWE, John Cena, Hard Rock Café St. Louis, St. Louis Transportation, Galactic Glow Putt Putt, Airtran Airways, Residence Inn by Marriott, JED Limousine, the St. Louis Cardinals, Houlihan’s, Beechwood Bistro and the Best Transportation of St. Louis.
Kids Wish Network is a nationally recognized non-profit organization dedicated to infusing hope, creating happy memories, and improving the quality of life for children. If you know a child between the ages of 3 and 18 who may be in need of its wish granting services, please call 727-937-3600 or toll free 888-918-9004. For more information on Kids Wish Network, visit their website at www.kidswishnetwork.org
