It’s no secret Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson had a tough childhood. The wrestler and performer grew up in Hawaii, where his family faced hard financial times. But he never forgot the people who helped him out along the way, including the employees of a local convenience store who turned a blind eye when he would steal candy.
Last week, Johnson decided it was time to finally pay them back.
The Rock Pays a Surprise Visit to 7-Eleven
In an Instagram post from Nov. 27, Johnson explained he was in Hawaii to “exorcise this damn chocolate demon that’s been gnawing at me for decades.” In the video, he explained how in 1987, after he and his family were evicted, he used to swipe a king-sized Snickers bar every day as his pre-workout fuel before hitting the gym. He was 14 years old at the time.
“The same clerk was there every day and always just turned her head and never busted me,” he explained.
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“I’ve exercised a few big demons over the years. I know this one seems very silly, but every time I come back home to Hawaii and drive by 7-11 I always knew I needed to go in and clean out every Snickers bar they had — the right way.”
The performer then walked into the store, much to the surprise of employees and a handful of customers. A cheerful Johnson, cameras in tow, grabbed every single Snickers bar in the place and threw them into a brown paper bag. He then brought the bag to the clerk and asked him to ring them all up.
How Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson Is Paying It Forward
As the flustered clerk tried to ring in all chocolate bars, Johnson explained he wanted to right a past wrong. Then, he paid for the orders of all the other customers in the store, which totaled just under $300.
He explained it was the least he could do considering all the stuff he used to steal from the store. “We can’t change the past and some of the dumb stuff we may have done, but every once in a while, we can add a little redeeming grace note to that situation — and maybe put a big smile on some strangers’ faces,” he added.
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Then, because he’s The Rock and he can, he spent time taking selfies with fans and saying hello.
More importantly, he also tipped the clerks and left the giant bag of candy bars behind. “Thank you so much. I appreciate you. If somebody looks like they're stealing Snickers, give them these so they don't steal them.”
How the Rock Proved It’s Never Too Late to Right a Wrong
If there’s one universal takeaway from this story, it is that it’s never too late to right a past wrong. Sure, Johnson may be able to stop by a store he used to steal from and buy up all the candy, and not everyone could financially do that. Still, there are other ways to give back or apologize for your own “demons” from the past.
Maybe it’s looking up someone you were mean to in high school and sending them an apology note on social media. Or perhaps it’s volunteering at the same community center you spent time at as a kid. Or you could make amends for something more recent, like missing a friend’s important event and sending flowers or setting time aside to hang out with a friend or family member who has recently felt a little neglected.
The point is everyone makes mistakes, and no one is perfect. But as The Rock is here to remind us all, it’s how we pick ourselves up from that past and march forward that truly matters in life.
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