Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson celebrated his 53rd birthday earlier this month.
So, what do you buy one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood? Well, it’s less about money and more about the heart behind the gift. That’s what happened during this birthday.
The People’s Champ recently revealed he received “one of the most meaningful gifts” ever, which actually moved him to tears.
“A ticket to a wrestling show I attended when I was 11 years old to watch my dad wrestle. Who would’ve thought years later I’d hold this ticket, and wishing I had one more shot to say hello (or goodbye) to my old man,” he wrote on Instagram alongside a video of Johnson opening the present.
The ticket was for a March 17, 1984, match in Springfield, Massachusetts, at the Springfield Civic Center.
In the video, the Seven Bucks Productions founder can be seen taking off his glasses and wiping away his tears.
Johnson went on to explain why this gift meant so much to him.
“As a kid, we were always on the road, and I don’t remember my dad smiling much, as he was always mentally tired and his body banged up and in pain from the nightly grind – but he did find moments of PEACE when he was wrestling in that squared circle,” he continued. “Even in this video, you see my dad attempting a SLIGHT SMILE.”
In the video, he explained that on that day, it was the happiest he’d seen his father.
Johnson’s father passed away in January 2020. He was 75 years old. The elder Johnson’s wrestling career broke racial barriers. In 1983, he won the then-WWF Tag Team Championship with Tony Atlas, and they became the first Black champions in WWE history.
“I know I’m not easy to buy gifts for, so VERY thoughtful gifts like this mean the world to me from my loved ones,” the “Moana” actor explained.
Various videos have captured a young Dwayne sitting ringside watching his father take on various opponents.
Wrestling in the Johnsons’ blood and lives on today as the Teremana founder’s daughter, Simone Johnson, is currently with the WWE brand NXT under the name Ava Raine.
“The Smashing Machine” actor’s maternal grandfather, “High Chief” Peter Maivia, also competed as a wrestler. He’s a part of the famous Anoa’i family of professional wrestlers who hail from Samoa, which includes big names like Roman Reigns, Yokozuna, the Wild Samoans, Rikishi, Jey and Jimmy Uso.
