As one of the biggest names in Hollywood Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has it all; he’s one of the biggest paid actors and all-round nice guys who is a devoted husband and father to the most adorable girls.
But things weren’t always so easy for the 49-year-old, especially during his teen years when at one point he found himself homeless.
(function(){
var container = document.querySelector(“#bluebilly”)
var script = document.createElement(“script”);
script.type = “text/javascript”
script.src = “//n365.bbvms.com/e/137.js”;
container.id = “”
container.appendChild(script)
})();
The wrestler turned actor recently revealed a tough time in his teens when he and his family lost their home in Hawaii after his mom was unable to pay the rent.
window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: ‘thumbnails-mid’,
container: ‘taboola-mid-article-thumbnails’,
placement: ‘Mid Article Thumbnails’,
target_type: ‘mix’
});
His mom has no other choice but to send her son off to Nashville, Tennessee, where the then 15-year-old Johnson thought he was going to live with his dad.
View this post on Instagram
However, when he landed in Nashville, a stranger was there to greet him at the airport in place of his father and he quickly realized he wasn’t actually going to live with his dad.
Instead, he met a guy called Bruno Lauer who drove him to his trailer and gave him a roof over his head when he had nowhere else to go.
This major turning point in Johnson’s life could have easily set him on the wrong path but the level-headed superstar says God “always found a way to put a few people in my path that would change the trajectory of the road I was going down.”
“He took this punk kid in and we became lifelong friends,” Dwayne Johnson recalls.
Lauer, a former wrestling manager, not only saved him in his teens but during his time trying to make it as a wrestler, he gave him a place to stay and even his last $40 to help him buy his first car, something that Johnson says he will never forget.
Instagram
Now more than three decades later Johnson decided he wanted to give something back to the man who gave him a lifeline all those years ago.
He gave away a brand new truck as a special way to thank his friend “Downtown Bruno” for all of his support.
Johnson invited Lauer onto the set of his comedy TV show about his life called ‘Young Rock.’ He then surprised his old friend with the special gift.
“Your kindness and heart helped change my life’s trajectory,” he says of Lauer’s positive influence.
Instagram
Bruno couldn’t believe the kind gesture and while holding back the tears he says: “Nobody’s ever done anything like this for me before.”
The Rock explains how he’s already taken care of the tags and will have the new vehicle shipped to Lauer’s home in Walls, Mississippi.
“I love you man. Not ’cause of this,” Lauer says, referencing the truck Johnson gave away, “‘Cause of who you are… Thank you, Lord Jesus, for putting you in my life.”
Johnson then shared the big surprise on his Instagram account where more than 3.5 million people have watched the heartwarming moment.
View this post on Instagram
He’s the man who keeps on giving, no matter how successful he gets he never forgets those people who helped him when he needed it most. Please share.