The Rock's Emotional Story About Meeting a Fan With Special Needs Proves His Heart Is Just as Big as His Biceps
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson might be known for his bulging muscles and hilarious Instagrams, but one of the best things about him is his heart of gold. It's no secret that Dwayne has taken plenty of time out of his busy Baywatch schedule to meet his fans, whether it's on set or at the local children's hospital, and his latest story about meeting a young boy named Ryan with special needs is no different. He recapped the whole heartwarming encounter on Instagram on Monday with a photo of him giving Ryan's mom a giant bear hug:
Thank you universe. I was on set this morning ready to start our shooting day when I got word that there was a family with a special needs young man named RYAN who was hoping to meet me. They understood that they travelled in unannounced but they were willing to wait all day until I wrapped to meet. That would've 12hrs. Way too long.
So I asked production to hold and walked across the beach to the barriers where they were waiting. When I walked down the stairs, Ryan's mom (pictured here) was waiting with a huge hug! Her tears started to come as she whispered, "Thank you, thank you". I met Ryan, his brother and his nurse. What a great and cool kid. Without getting into the details, this kid has waaaaaay more heart, is stronger and tougher than I could ever imagine. He can't talk much, but he did tell me, "I love you" in sign language. I thanked him so much for that love.
I walked away from this family so grateful to have met them and Ryan. I don't ever take meetings like this for granted and when that mama hugged me today and I felt her start to cry... that stuff gets me every single time I hug a parent in these situations, because I'm a parent too and will do anything to make my babies happy and put a smile on their faces. I know I'm a lucky guy to be in this position and have this platform. I'm grateful and moments like this will always, ALWAYS be the best part of my job. Stay strong Ryan and thanks for teaching me how to sign language buddy. Great meeting you and your family. Thank you universe.
We're not crying. Are you crying? (We're totally crying.) See Dwayne's cute photo with Ryan and his mother above, and then check out the sweet birthday message he wrote for his infant daughter, Jasmine.