Rock 'n' Sock lives on!
by Phil Speer
courtesy of WWF.com

Nine-year-old Ghazi and 7-year-old Jeffrey came to a recent RAW IS WAR event to see The Rock.
Through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the two youngsters had the special opportunity to meet the People's Champion backstage before the show. In addition to being a five-time Federation Champion, one of People Magazine's sexiest men and the most electrifying man in sports entertainment, The Rock is also one of the most popular choices among kids in the Make-A-Wish program.

"It's just a way of giving back," said The Rock. "To me it's a humbling honor to think that these kids and their families want to spend their time with me -- their very, very precious time with me -- considering the situation that they're in."

The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants wishes to children under the age of 18 with life-threatening illnesses. It is the largest wish-granting organization in the world. According to Sue Aitchison, community relations specialist for the World Wrestling Federation, the WWF and Make-A-Wish have a relationship that dates back several years; the two organizations were already working together when Aitchison started with the company in 1987.
Make-A-Wish kids meet with World Wrestling Federation Superstars at virtually every Federation event. Also, the Federation helps raise money for the organization. For example, 10 percent of all sales from the new WWF Auction site are donated to Make-A-Wish.  

And at last year's AXXESS fan festival during WrestleMania Weekend, $13,000 was raised as fans got their pictures taken with a WWF Superstar and the Federation Championship belt for a $5 donation to Make-A-Wish.

But because there are privacy and sensitivity issues involved, the Federation rarely publicizes the fact that so many kids get to meet their superstar heroes. WWF.com got a rare opportunity to observe one such meeting - one of the 180 wishes The Rock has granted in the last year, Aitchison said - backstage at the Hartford Civic Center.
Ghazi and Jeffrey waited patiently for The Rock. When he finally arrived, he had brought along another special guest: Federation Commissioner Mick Foley.

"The Rock and I have a little agreement where if he has a Make-A-Wish kid and I happen to be around, he brings me. And if I have a Make-A-Wish kid and he happens to be around, I bring him," Foley said. "I may not be everybody's top choice, but I'm probably in their top 10. It's a nice little addition, and when I bring The Rock it's a great addition."
The two superstars signed autographs and snapped pictures for the youngsters and their families. They quizzed the two kids about their knowledge of the days of the "Rock 'n' Sock Connection."

Some professional athletes only agree to meet with kids during the off-season, which leads to long waiting lists. But off-season meetings are impossible in the Federation, because there is no off-season.

Plus, Aitchison said, The Rock insists that all Make-A-Wish kids get to meet him as soon as possible. "Rocky told me quite avidly," Aitchison said, "he does not want to have a waiting list."
Because The Rock has gone out of his way to meet with kids - and even bring Foley along with him - the Make-A-Wish Foundation awarded him the Chris Greicius Award for Celebrity Wish Granter of the Year. Chris Greicius is the child who inspired the creation of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Chuck Norris, Michael J. Fox and President Clinton also won the award this year. The Rock attended a ceremony on Friday, Oct. 20, in Phoenix. Norris was also present in person; Fox and Clinton sent video acceptance speeches. In another example of The Rock's popularity, travel arrangements were made for children who lived as far away as Northern Ireland and wanted to meet the People's Champion. He held a private pizza party before the ceremony to hang out with the kids. He even got down on the floor and one little girl, Jennifer from Wisconsin, gave him the People's Elbow!

At the awards ceremony, Anthony, a boy who The Rock met a few months ago, introduced The Rock. At the time, Anthony's severe cancer had ravaged his body. Since Anthony's meeting with the People's Champion, the youngster has regained his speech, hearing and balance, and his cancer is in remission. It was an emotional introduction to cap off an emotional night, The Rock said

I kind of broke the ice right away," The Rock recalled. "I got up there and I said, 'I knew this was going to be an emotional night, my only concern was that I just couldn't cry in front of Chuck Norris.'"

Reflecting on his award, the "Great One" said, "It was just a phenomenal award. It was a phenomenal feeling to be given such an award. Out of all the things I've accomplished, I'd pretty much say that that was one of the most, if not the most, soul-gratifying accomplishments I've ever gotten." Even though The Rock has won the Make-A-Wish Foundation's highest honor, there's no slowing down. He'll continue, along with his trusty companion Mick Foley, to meet kids at virtually every World Wrestling Federation event.

"Especially if they're at the building, there's really no excuse not to do it," Foley said. "It's one of the few times when we are able to give back so much with so little effort. Sometimes it's tough to visit kids because you're not sure what to say. But in their minds, they don't care what you say, just as long as you're there spending a little bit of time with them. And it's so easy to make them happy."