With John Cena announcing his retirement from the WWE, I’ve found myself thinking about him and seeing clips of him on TikTok, which makes me view him in a completely new light.
The more I learn about him, the more I’ve started thinking something I truly never expected: John Cena might actually be the best celebrity we have, and, dare I say it, he might even be a national treasure.
We all have our own opinions on whether celebrities should use their platforms to speak out or to give back, but one thing most people agree on is that kindness matters. You don’t have to solve global issues to make the world better; sometimes it’s as simple as showing up with genuine care, and Cena quietly and consistently shows up.
Recently, a clip of Cena featuring on Kai Cenat’s stream appeared on my For You Page, which sent me down a rabbit hole of finding out that John Cena is lowkey the goat. In the clip, Cena opens up about something deeper than wrestling moves or movie roles: purpose.
He says, “What is purpose to me? To me, I thought it was simply to be useful… I used to think I was put on Earth to be a wrestler. Then I started acting and thought, ‘Oh, I’m a storyteller. No, I’m a human being.’”
Cena continues, “I breathe air like everyone else, and I’m significantly insignificant. I just want to be useful. Life to me is a gift… I understand I’m lucky, and I try to live each day grateful for my luck.”
Something about hearing an A-list celebrity admit he’s “significantly insignificant” made me stop not just to think about the rarity of a celebrity saying something so grounded, but to reflect on my own life, too.
The way he speaks so eloquently, thoughtfully, and with such a clear sense of purpose is rare in celebrity culture, and it’s easy to understand why people gravitate toward him.
Growing up, I remember seeing his merch everywhere. He was one of those pop-culture figures who just existed in the background of childhood on bright colored shirts, through big slogans, and somehow as Fred Figglehorn’s dad. And now? The face of one of the internet’s favorite memes, “bing chilling,” where he speaks surprisingly good Mandarin while holding ice cream.
After years of jokes about never being able to see him, it feels like I’m finally seeing him — not the character, not the wrestler, but the actual person, and honestly, do kids even have role models like this anymore?
Cena actually holds the Guinness World Record for granting the most Make-A-Wish wishes ever, holding the record with 650. He calls meeting Make-A-Wish kids the “coolest thing,” saying their bravery inspires him and that it’s one of the most meaningful parts of his legacy.
He once said, “These kids with life-threatening illnesses are granted one wish, and imagine if you were that wish.”
The humility? The perspective? The care? This new perspective from Cena has genuinely earned my respect. It’s hard not to think that this is what a celebrity should be like.
What’s even more refreshing is that Cena doesn’t shape his life around public expectation. People tell him all the time that he’d be a great father, which, honestly, he probably would be, but he still answers with honesty and boundaries. “Just because you might be good at something is, for me, not a strong enough reason to do it.”
It’s rare to see a male celebrity speak so clearly and calmly with that kind of clarity and self-awareness about not wanting kids, especially in an industry that pushes a very specific narrative about family and masculinity.
So yes, John Cena is a global superstar, a WWE legend, an actor, a meme, and apparently a part-time philosopher. But he’s also something else: a genuinely kind human being in a world that could use more of them. Lowkey or maybe high key, John Cena might just be one of the best celebrities we have.
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