LAS VEGAS – Becoming a WWE Superstar is a lifelong dream for many, and for 27 kids it became a reality on Thursday thanks to the continuation of a partnership between Fanatics, Make-A-Wish and WWE ahead of WrestleMania 42 this weekend.
As part of a larger list of surprises that includes tickets to both days of the marquee event, the kids were able to adopt their own WWE Superstar persona complete with a customized entrance and a special surprise appearance from The Miz and Liv Morgan. And on top of all that, each kid got treated to a customized title belt, Topps trading cards, and $200 shopping spree at WWE World.
As much of a treat as it is to see these kids who have been through so much to shine, it was even more gratifying for the WWE Superstars to witness it and to be a part of a lifelong memory. This is the third WrestleMania that Fanatics, Make-A-Wish and WWE have combined to put on this event, and you can tell it’s quickly becoming something that resonates with the stars and is something that they really do want to be a part of.
“It truly warms my heart,” The Miz said. “It shows the absolute strength of a child, and seeing these kids put together their entrances … Then you watched, you saw it. You saw the smiles. This is the way to start WrestleMania week, like, I'm ready to go. I want to run through a wall.”
For the kids, it was understandably a bit nerve-wracking to make such a grand entrance in front of a crowd of onlookers and WWE Superstars who they idolize. But like Liv Morgan and The Miz, each of the newly-minted stars lived up to their persona and delivered a WrestleMania worthy entrance
“It was awesome,” said Ari, one of the kids in attendance. “Originally, I wasn't sure. I wasn't going to do it, it was just an anxiety thing. Then I did it, the music hit, and it was just a great time. I'm so glad I did it, it was so much fun. The Miz and Liv are awesome, it was so cool.”
In truth, the nerves those kids felt only added to the authenticity of the experience. The Miz could tell he walked into a room full of nervous energy this morning when he arrived at the event, and in a way it was just like the collective nervous energy felt by all of the WWE Superstars backstage before they hit the squared circle.
“Seeing these kids put together their entrances, I talked to them backstage, and I was like, Are you guys nervous?,” The Miz said. “They're like, ‘Yeah’, and it's like ‘me too!’. Like, every time I go out, I am nervous, I am petrified. But once you get out there, own the stage. It's yours. Use those nerves and turn them into energy. And you can see the kids kind of light up, like, I'm going to do it.”
They sure did.