The Rock
 

Never one to shy away from a chance to do good in the world, Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson followed through on a promise to a 7-year-old fighting cancer. In March, Johnson invited Gabriel Singleton, whose nickname is "Tater," to visit him on the set on the new Baywatch movie.

Two months later, Johnson welcomed "Tater" to the shoot in Savannah, Georgia. Only when he did, The Rock had another surprising waiting.

It was a movie poster featuring a Baywatch hero on the front. Only the hero was't Johnson.

It was Tater.


The big moment where we surprised lil' 7yr old cancer warrior named "Tater" with his own #BAYWATCH movie poster! I wish you guys could've seen his face when I turned this frame around. When I told him "we're all so inspired by you, especially me" and looked down at him and saw him lookin' up at me, nodding his head with those big eyes.. good Lord I almost lost it in front of him and the whole damn crew. (that actually happened to me once before when I was accepting an award on stage and as I thanked my family, I just happened to catch my daughter Simone's eyes and sweet cheese on an ice cream sammich I almost lost it again). I did exactly what I did here.. paused, gazed into space like a crazy man and told myself "you better hold it together dammit", shook it off and proceeded to continue. Despite my almost tearing up like a baby and ruining my tough guy image, the greatest and I think most beautiful irony about Tater, is that this very special little boy has no idea just how much he inspires all of us around him. One day he will. #OnSet #OurWholeBaywatchCrew #UnforgettableMoment #LiveLikeTater #AndRocksDontCry * special thank you our good buddy and one of Hollywood's greatest photographers @jaimietrueblood and the @forthewinproject charity creating this awesome poster for Tater.

A video posted by therock (@therock) on

"When I told [Tater], 'We're all so inspired by you, especially me' and looked down at him and saw him lookin' up at me, nodding his head with those big eyes ... good Lord I almost lost it in front of him and the whole damn crew," Rock explains.

The Rock first met Tater through a letter the boy wrote to him, talking about how Johnson's bald head made the boy feel better about losing his hair. The Rock has several pictures of Tater on his Instagram, showing that the two have bonded over time.



Been a long time coming, but I finally met the one and only "Tater". This very special lil' 7yr old boy has been battling cancer for 4yrs now. Multiple surgeries, chemo, radiation treatments and stem cell transplants. You name it, this lil' boy has gone thru it. He's had one request. Meet me. He spent the day with me on our #Baywatch set. Watched me film and in between scenes we'd hang out, have some laughs and have some good talks. One of the good talks we had was about every time he goes into the hospital for treatments he takes two things: his Rock action figure (which I'm holding) and his stuffed animal, appropriately just named "puppy". He even made these shirts for us. "Strong As The Rock" and "Live Like Tater". He told me every time he gets treatments he wants to be strong like me. I told him he's already way stronger I'll ever be. He just giggled not really knowing what I meant. One day he will. Spent all afternoon with Tater and his beautiful family. Lots of tears were shed among us. Joyful tears. Grateful tears. I don't know why things happen the way they do in this life. Gotta have faith that there's a bigger reason or lesson for us. Sometimes I'm not sure. But I can tell you this with all my heart and soul that meeting lil' Tater and all these little kids over the years who for some reason far unbeknownst to me, look at me as their hero - is a thousand times way more important than any movie or any "thing" I could ever do or accomplish in my life. Having this platform to shine a little light on the path that these brave children walk - is by far the best part of fame. LIVE LIKE TATER this lil' 7yr old says. Strong. Loving. Happy. You stay strong big man. Me and puppy always got your back ~ Rock

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Add this to the long list of great deeds The Rock has done with his celebrity.

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