Kitchener family says their 10-year-old needs life-saving drug that cost $600,000
Raneem, 10, lives with a neurological condition and liver disease and needs Cholbam, a medication, for a longer and healthier life.
It is a name that has become almost synonymous with professional wrestling but its bearer, Dwayne Johnson, has never legally owned “The Rock.”
That will change under a new agreement with the WWE under which Johnson will also join the board of TKO Group, the sports and entertainment company that houses WWE and UFC.
“The Rock” is a name is derived from Johnson's father, WWE Hall of Famer Rocky Johnson, who was the first Black champion in WWE history (alongside partner Tony Atlas), according the WWE.
Johnson, a movie and wrestling star, has a business portfolio that includes production company Seven Bucks Productions, tequila brand Teremana Tequila, energy drink company ZOA Energy, Project Rock apparel brand and the United Football League.
"I'm very motivated to help continue to globally expand our TKO, WWE, and UFC businesses as the worldwide leaders in sports and entertainment -- while proudly representing so many phenomenal athletes and performers who show up every day putting in the hard work with their own two hands to make their dreams come true and deliver for our audiences," Johnson said in a prepared statement. "I've been there, I'm still there and this is for them."
TKO Group Holdings Inc. says Johnson's board appointment, effective Tuesday, reflects its "commitment to delivering long-term value and strong performance for shareholders through strategic growth initiatives across both UFC and WWE."
Johnson began his wrestling career with WWE in 1996. The third-generation wrestler became famous for rivalries with wrestlers including "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and Triple H and his finishing maneuver, The Rock Bottom, according to his biography on WWE's website. He has won eight WWE championships, has a New York Times bestselling autobiography, "The Rock Says," and starred in movies including "Fast X," "Black Adam," "Jungle Cruise" and "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle."
Johnson has recently appeared on World Wrestling Entertainment Inc.'s "Smackdown" and "Raw" television programs, with rumours swirling that he may compete at this year's WrestleMania.
"I am thrilled to partner with Dwayne and welcome his immense talent to TKO's Board," TKO CEO Ariel Emanuel said in a prepared statement. "Dwayne brings an incredible track record of creating content and building globally recognized consumer brands, and he will play a key role in realizing our ambitions for TKO."
TKO also announced Tuesday that Brad Keywell will become a board member. Keywell has co-founded and led multiple companies, including Groupon, Echo Global Logistics, MediaOcean, and Uptake Technologies, where he is currently founder and executive chairman.
The additions of Johnson and Keywell will increase TKO's board from 11 to 13 members.
Shares of TKO Group surged 20% at the opening bell after TKO announced WWE's weekly television show "Raw" will move to Netflix next year as part of a major streaming deal.
Raneem, 10, lives with a neurological condition and liver disease and needs Cholbam, a medication, for a longer and healthier life.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has issued a recall for a specific chocolate brand sold in Ontario and Quebec.
Ontario is introducing a suite of measures that will crack down on cellphone use and vaping in schools.
Health Minister Mark Holland says while he is 'deeply appreciative' of the work doctors in Canada do, the federal government has no plans to scrap the proposed capital gains tax changes outlined in the latest budget, despite opposition from the Canadian Medical Association.
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
Quebec will invest $603 million over five years to counter the decline of French in the province, French Language Minister Jean-Francois Roberge announced Sunday.
A senior Qatari official has urged Israel and Hamas to show "more commitment and more seriousness" in ceasefire negotiations in interviews with Israeli media, as pressure builds to reach a deal that would free some Israeli hostages and bring a ceasefire in the nearly seven-month-long war in Gaza.
A recent report sheds light on Canadians living abroad--estimated at around four million people in 2016—and the public policies that impact them.
Students protesting the Israel-Hamas war woke up in tents at college campuses across the United States Sunday morning planning more protests demanding that schools cut financial ties to Israel and divest from companies accused of enabling the conflict.
As if a 4-0 Edmonton Oilers lead in Game 1 of their playoff series with the Los Angeles Kings wasn't good enough, what was announced at Rogers Place during the next TV timeout nearly blew the roof off the downtown arena.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
A property tax bill is perplexing a small townhouse community in Fergus, Ont.
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
A local Oilers fan is hoping to see his team cut through the postseason, so he can cut his hair.
A family from Laval, Que. is looking for answers... and their father's body. He died on vacation in Cuba and authorities sent someone else's body back to Canada.
A former educational assistant is calling attention to the rising violence in Alberta's classrooms.
The federal government says its plan to increase taxes on capital gains is aimed at wealthy Canadians to achieve “tax fairness.”