John Cena will compete in his last Royal Rumble in Indianapolis, leaving behind an indelible legacy, even though he may not fully grasp the impact he’s had on me.
The worn, dusty cardboard box sat crammed under the bottom shelf in the toy aisle at Wal-Mart, practically begging for attention. Inside was something that seemed too pricey, yet there it was, ready to shape Nolan’s childhood. It felt as though fate—or maybe the WWE gods—had orchestrated this moment: a 15-year, one-sided connection between my son, Nolan, and John Cena.
The box was positioned in a way that only revealed the bulging muscles and signature light blue jorts of a shirtless figure. Nolan and his older brother Eli pulled it out, their eyes wide in surprise.
And I’m sure that was exactly the look Mattel had in mind when they slapped a $49.99 price tag on this childhood treasure. The box held a WWE ring, a Big Show figure in his black singlet, and of course, the Cena action figure. The cover depicted Cena lifting the Big Show above his head, poised to slam him onto the mat.
Begging ensued immediately, but honestly, it didn’t take much convincing. Nolan, just three years old at the time, had recently lost his father to suicide. I was struggling, uncertain of how to help him navigate the pain and confusion of losing a parent. All I wanted was to protect him from the heartache and to ensure he never felt abandoned.
So we walked out of Wal-Mart that day with the playset and a couple of oversized blue raspberry lollipops. Nolan and Eli spent hours playing, turning off the lights and casting a spotlight onto the ring while blasting WWE entrance music. Every match, every victory—Cena always won.
As the days passed, Eli, with his passion for all things sports, lost interest in the figures. But Nolan? He was hooked. Cena became his hero—strong, kind, and always standing for hustle, loyalty, and respect. “I began watching him on YouTube, and I just fell in love with him,” Nolan says. “He was always the good guy, and he was so great at what he did.”
With help from his grandparents and countless trips to Wal-Mart’s WWE aisle, Nolan amassed over 400 figures and nearly 30 rings. He’s been to every WWE event—WrestleMania, SmackDown, SummerSlam, and Raw.
Now, at 17, Nolan is preparing for the WWE event that means the most to him. This weekend, he’ll be inside Lucas Oil Stadium for the Royal Rumble, where Cena—his hero and role model—is on his retirement tour. It could be his last chance to see Cena wrestle live. After announcing his retirement in July, Cena made a surprise appearance at Money in the Bank in Toronto, hinting at his final matches with his iconic “The Time Is Now” towel.
Nolan was determined not to miss it. He spent $400 of his Papa Murphy’s pizza savings to buy a ticket the moment they went on sale.
In a tribute to Cena, Nolan wrote: “When I lost my dad at a young age, he was like a father figure to me. I wanted to be like him in every way possible. There will never be another John Cena.”
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