WATCH: Dwayne Johnson Dedicates Prestigious The Grio Award to Wrestling Legend: “He Was My Inspiration”

One of the prestigious awards in philanthropy is The Grio Awards. Its recipients are people of color who have paved the way or created a significant impact on the community. For this, the Inspiration Award went out to none other than Dwayne Johnson. But upon receiving the said award, he dedicated it to his inspiration.

Dwayne Johnson dedicates his award to a wrestling legend

Upon the stage after receiving the award, Johnson said that the only reason he was able to receive this award was because of his inspiration, Rocky Johnson. The Hollywood star’s father was a wrestling legend and also one of the first few people of color in the industry. Johnson said, “I am going to dedicate this award to my dad. He was one of my inspirations”.

Johnson later talked about the life lessons his father taught him about respect. He also stated that his father had sadly passed away three years ago and he still wished he could have said goodbye to him. Johnson further thanked his father and everyone in attendance for the honor

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While many people know about the history of Dwayne Johnson, there are a few who know about his legacy. After all the saying goes, ‘The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree!”

The rich legacy of Dwayne Johnson

Johnson shares a rich legacy when it comes to pro wrestling. While his father was a prominent wrestler, his maternal grandparents were big-time veterans of the industry. Johnson’s mother, Ata Johnson was born in Samoa to Lita Malvia, a prominent wrestling promoter in the vicinity. This is where he shares his roots with other WWE stars such as Roman Reigns, The Usos, and other Samoan stars. Ata Johnson’s stepfather was High Chief, Peter Mavia. Mavia moved to the States along with his family in the 70’s where he trained many up-and-coming wrestlers, including Rocky Johnson.

Rocky Johnson hailed from Nova Scotia, Canada. Mavia’s student quickly rose to prominence as he became the first-ever black wrestler to win WWE’s Tag Team Championship title with Tony Atlas. It was during his training days that Rocky Johnson fell in love with Ata Mavia. Even though Ata Mavia’s parents were initially against the idea of her dating a professional wrestler, everything changed after Dwayne Johnson was born.  Apart from that, he has shared his father’s struggles in his docu-series Young Rock. Time and time again Johnson has been vocal about his father’s impact on his life.

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