|
'The Rock' calls out to Lacina, opponent after wrestling video
by Gregory R. Norfleet · Sports · December 04, 2019
“The Rock” thinks Lucas Rocks.
And Austin Scranton, too.
Professional wrestler-turned-actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson joined many celebrities hailing the boys’ “heartwarming” viral wrestling video — a state champion wrestler allowing Lucas Lacina, who suffers from cerebral palsy, to pin him in a match.
Between Twitter and Facebook, versions of the video drew more than 8.5 million views around the world since going up Nov. 25.
“Beautiful (heart) (muscle) Congratulations, Lucas! You inspire all those around you and you’re the epitome of a champion! And to the young man in purple. You’re the epitome of humanity. I look forward to shaking your hand one day.” Johnson tweeted on Nov. 29.
Johnson responded to a video posted by ESPN, shared with them by Lucas’ mother, Jill Winger-Lacina. West Branch Middle School wrestling coaches Ben Holub and Mike Thomas set up the match with Anamosa coaches between seventh-grader Scranton and eighth-grader Lacina at West Branch High School. (ESPN mistakenly called Lucas a high-school student.)
Austin, 12, started wrestling in kindergarten and said the exhibition match allowed him to share wrestling.
“I wanted (Lucas) to have the same chance I do to love the sport I do,” he said.
The son of Jon and Aimee Scranton called the video going viral “kind of cool.”
“I never had experienced anything like that,” Austin said, noting that he and his family watched the counts go up and up and up.
Winger-Lacina called the attention “mind-blowing.”
“I don’t know what to say about this,” she said. “I’m just blown away by the whole social media (attention).”
This is the second time Lucas wrestled in front of a crowd and video camera and saw the video go viral. Last year, the now-14-year-old wrestled Mid-Prairie’s Dalton Miller and views passed the 2.5-million mark in about a week.
Winger-Lacina said that she and husband Al received many messages from other parents of children with cerebral palsy asking about what therapies they tried to help their eighth-grader improve muscle control.
“This is 14 years in the making with all the therapies he’s done,” she said.
What she did not expect was the celebrity interest, like the “like” on ESPN’s tweet from high school wrestler-turned-actor Chris Pratt or the retweet from actor Ron Perlman, known for the Hellboy movies. She called The Rock’s message “my highlight of the year.”
“He’s just awesome,” she said. “That’s pretty cool.”
Winger-Lacina laughed saying she told Lucas he’s “only as big as one of (Johnson’s) thighs.”
“For Al and I that was probably one of the coolest things to ever happen,” Jill said.
Austin agreed, calling it “really cool.”
“My mom kind of freaked out when Chris Pratt liked my video,” he said.
In addition to celebrities, several sports news stations and nationally known sports reporters retweeted and commented from Mexico and the United Kingdom. USA Today High School Sports and CBS also wrote about it and Sportscenter, MaxPreps, ESPN UK and more highlighted the video on their own social media feeds.
Austin said he saw attention from sports entertainers and other good wrestlers from around the country.
So, who was the coolest? “The Rock,” he said.
Lucas’ mother said she likes that other families draw inspiration from the video.
“When it helps other people, people who reach out because their kids have CP, and it gives them inspiration, I remember being in their shoes wondering what his future would look like,” she said. “I guess that’s what makes it worth sharing.”
Winger-Lacina said she thinks the video touched a nerve with viewers “because of kids like Austin.”
“People need to believe the next generation is good,” she said. “There’s a lot of negativity today, so they gravitate toward the good. And that kid is just — he’s good. He’s truly a good kid and has a heart of gold. He definitely didn’t do it for any glory.”
Austin said he learned something from the hype: “If you do good things, good things will come to you.”
And he said he would do it again.
“This is probably my favorite match I’ve ever had,” he said.
Anamosa Middle School Principal Linda Vaughn called Austin “our hero.”
Al and Jill set up a non-profit Lucas Rocks organization years before to help raise money for expensive and cutting-edge therapies. Most notably, Lucas Rocks’ golf outings also benefitted Hoover Elementary schools as the family donated money to help the school buy equipment that would benefit other children with physical challenges.
“We wouldn’t be where we are without West Branch, first and foremost,” she said.
Winger-Lacina stressed that “it takes a village” to raise a child with special needs, and that includes everyone from respite workers to supportive teachers and classmates.
“If it wasn’t for all of them, he wouldn’t be where he is,” she said.
The Lacina family got to meet Austin and his father and hopes to meet the rest of the family soon, Jill said.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
