Dwayne Johnson Serenades 4-Year-Old With Favorite Moana Song
Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson surprised us all with his singing chops as the lovable, shapeshifting demi-god Maui in the Disney smash hit, Moana.
But it's his performance off-screen for one very special 4-year-old girl that's currently making waves on social media.
Maui's Biggest Fan
Johnson may play some of the toughest guys on the planet, but he has proven time and again that underneath that incredibly buff Herculean exterior, he has the heart of a sweet little ol' teddy bear.
When he's not busy crushing iron at the gym, drinking tequila, or making serious bank on the next big Hollywood blockbuster, he's making miracles happen for children with critical illnesses.
As a frequent wish granter with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, he's no stranger to making dreams come true sometimes granting upwards of one wish PER DAY.
So when he received an urgent request from a little girl on home hospice who loves Maui he immediately dropped everything to make it happen.
Lily Guerrero is four years old. Her favorite treats are Outshine Purple Popsicles and Watermelon Blowpops. She loves pink and playing peek-a-boo and watching Moana "every day, all day." And heartbreakingly, she's now on home hospice, no longer able to verbally communicate because of a feeding tube.
But she can still "see and hear and react" and wanted nothing more than to have Maui sing her You're Welcome and record it so she could listen to it "over and over and over" again. Johnson, despite being a little rusty on vocals, happily obliged.
Dwayne Johnson Makes A Little Girl's Wish Come True
At the request of Lily's parents, Johnson shared his good deed, worthy of a demigod, on Instagram, captioning the emotional video in part: "Needed to share this “rush” wish with all of you ❤️🌎✨"
"This is a special Make-A-Wish request and it’s called a rush wish," Johnson told the camera. "And a rush wish means, what the implication sounds like, which is time is just not on our side.”
He continued, "Of course, Mom and Dad have asked that I share this wish on social media to share Lily's spirit and strength and her mana, and of course we take that energy and we send it right back to Lily."
He then revealed that he was sitting at a piano but jokingly shared, "I actually stink at piano” and instead opted for a recording of the music.
"I'll try not to screw this up," he quipped before launching into a heartfelt rendition of the Lin-Manuel Miranda-penned song, You're Welcome.
Following his performance he directly addressed Lily, saying:
“Thank you so much for allowing me the privilege of making your Make-a-Wish come true. That was me singing ‘You’re Welcome’ in probably a few keys that don’t exist. I hope you enjoyed it and Lily, you are so special.”
Using His Fame For Good
In addition to being a global phenomenon, Johnson has made it a habit to use his celebrity status for good. His philanthropic efforts are widespread and he works with a number of different charities, including his own, The Dwayne Johnson Rock Foundation — aimed at helping families and children in need.
As for his work with the Make-a-Wish Foundation? It runs in his blood. His father, former WWE tag-team champion, Rocky Johnson, became one of the first wish-granters of the New Jersey chapter when he visited a 10-year-old boy named Bobby Macaluso, who had Lou Gehrig’s disease in 1983.
Johnson never forgot it.
“I remember my Dad telling me and Mom, ‘There’s a little boy, and he wants to meet me, and he’s really challenged right now, and he’s fighting hard, and his one wish is to meet me,’ and I was blown away,” Johnson said. “And I remember meeting Bobby and his family, and my Dad was holding him, and it was a very special moment and time in our lives.”
“It moved me,” he added. “It changed my life even then as an 11-year-old.”
And now, 41 years later, he's the one granting wishes and making a profound impact in people's lives.
But you don't have to be a megastar with megabucks to make a difference. As Johnson says, it starts with being nice and recognizing the importance of serving others.
"Service to others is the rent you pay for the room you have here on earth. It's nice to be important but it's more important to be nice."
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson - 2021 People's Champion Awards