Daily Sports Smile: John Cena travels to meet teenager who fled Ukraine

John Cena had a special surprise for teenager who recently fled Ukraine. 

Misha Rohozhyn,19, and his family left their home in Mariupol amid the continuing war in Ukraine to head for safety in Europe. The decision was difficult and left Rohozhyn, who is nonverbal and has Down syndrome, upset. His mother decided to calm his concerns by telling him they were going to meet the WWE superstar.

Cena heard the story and planned the surprise. He wanted to meet the family and traveled by plane to just outside Amsterdam. WWE shared a special video as Cena arrived.

"When I read about Misha’s story, it reached out to me," Cena said in the video. "Not just Misha's story but the story of Misha’s mom as well. Having three days off from work, right at the time when I read this story and being an hour away by air, it turned immediately to we’re going. That means spending an afternoon building blocks and eating cake.

"That’s a special afternoon when it comes to the new friends I was able to meet."

Cena also came bearing gifts. He presented Rohozhyn with some of his own WWE apparel: a green "Never Give Up" t-shirt and hat. Cena also provided Rohozhyn with a replica WWE Championship title belt.

The kind gesture meant a lot to the family, who continues to embody Cena’s famous tag line. 

"Misha’s ability to embrace persistence, that’s extraordinary," Cena said. "Those words, 'Never give up,' we’ve all thought about those in our lives. They're very powerful. I think Misha and Misha’s mom (are) two great examples of how persistence can lead to joy."

In his career, Cena has spent time giving back through humanitarian efforts. He's worked closely with the Make-A-Wish initiative and other WWE charitable efforts. Each time, he shines a light and makes those families feel special.

"This was a wonderful adventure in which I got to meet a wonderful new friend," Cena told Rohozhyn. “Thank you for giving me the strength."