Cardona Kicks Cancer
- “Zack Ryder” aka Matt Cardona beat cancer as a high school student.
- He remembers that time and says his dream of becoming a WWE wrestler helped keep him motivated to beat his cancer.
- Perserverance and optimism can go a long way during a cancer journey.
He’s been open about the fact that he battled cancer. Cardona said what drove him to get better: his desire to become a wrestler. He made good on his youthful ambitions and performed at the highest level in his field: the WWE.
View this post on InstagramRead More In addition to his professional success, Cardona is widely loved and celebrated for being his authentic self. It’s clear he’s a fan-favorite with his massive Instagram following and the support of other former wrestlers like John Cena.Cardona is savvy with social media, and he even hosts his own web show. It’s his perserverance that, in part, led to his great success. And his persistence "muscle" that he says he developed early on in life, as he battled cancer in high school.
Cardona’s High School Fight
When he was in high school, Cardona had a lump on his foot and it turned out to be cancerous.
Is there anything harder than just wanting to be a kid, and enjoy your high school experience, and now needing to fight cancer? It wasn’t an easy road for Cardona.
In a 2016 interview, Cardona opens up about this time. "I had a tumor in my foot, spread to both my lungs,” he said. “Surgeries, chemotherapy, all that. It sucked, it did…but the thing that kept me going was that I knew I had to beat it to get here because this was my destiny. I don't know why. I wasn't born into this business, but for some reason, my whole life has been to get here."
Related: This Inspiring Teen Undergoing Chemo Makes Special Shirts for Kids with Cancer
Since the time he was little, he had wrestling aspirations. He even dressed up like Hulk Hogan for Halloween! “I remember being consumed and obsessed by the WWE,” Cardona said.
Cardona overcame his cancer but doesn’t talk about the experience frequently. He shared that he hasn't talked too much about his battle often because he didn't want this to define him.
The Power of Perseverance
Cardona’s astounding story of willpower and pursuit of his dream of becoming a pro wrestler highlights the good that can come from optimism and hope while fighting cancer.
As a hopeful young person with big dreams of a WWE future, Cardona pushed through his treatment process and came out on the other side to create a life he was justifiably very proud of. And we’re proud of him, too.
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