Nine-year-old Khadance Matthews made her debut as an honorary member of the WWE Monday. "The Diva Destroyer," as she's known, walked onto a constructed stage in the middle of Children's Medical Center Dallas in front of family, fellow patients and a WWE contingency that included one of her favorite wrestlers, four-time WWE Raw women's champion Sasha Banks.
Matthews was one of a group of North Texas children who had the chance to be a WWE superstar for a day. WWE hosted an event honoring young patients at Children's Medical Center Dallas in support of Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month and Connor's Cure.
The event was coordinated through Connor's Cure, a WWE nonprofit that funds pediatric cancer research. The non-profit organization was created by WWE's Paul "Triple H" Levesque and Stephanie McMahon to honor Connor Michalek, a young WWE fan who succumbed to cancer in 2014, and has raised more than $2.5 million to date.
"To have an event like this, it's all about the patients," said Ben Retta, Children's Medical Center's senior director of family support services. "When you are sick in the hospital, and it just becomes routine every day, something like this goes a long way toward making your hospital stay something out of the ordinary and extraordinary."
Matthews had that extraordinary moment when she got the chance to meet one of her idols a day following her ninth birthday.
"I had so much fun," Matthews said.
Banks gave Matthews one of her own bracelets to take with her as Matthews continues to fight sickle cell anemia, a genetic blood disorder.
"We have this opportunity to be with them and to encourage them to be the stars," said McMahon, WWE's chief brand officer. "It's an honor. It's a privilege. It's what life's all about. Life is all about giving back, and WWE couldn't be more proud to be here today."
Nearly 40 kids took part in WWE's event, which included face painting, photo booths, WWE-inspired cookies and balloons, and, perhaps the biggest draw, the opportunity to hang out with the wrestlers themselves.
"You don't want to miss this opportunity," said current WWE universal champion Roman Reigns, who 12 hours prior was inside of a steel cage at WWE's Hell in a Cell pay-per-view in San Antonio.
"Just spending 15 minutes with these children playing video games can change their life. It really can put a whole new paint job and a whole new perspective on everything," Reigns said. "These opportunities, and I'm proud to say it, are better than what I'm going to do tonight."
Before taking over @AACenter tonight for #RAW, @WWE stopped by Children's Medical Center Dallas this afternoon to help raise awareness for pediatric cancer @ChildrensTheOne @WWERollins @WWEPR @WWECommunity @SashaBanksWWE #WWEDallas pic.twitter.com/fOoehAt71I
— Joey Hayden (@_joeyhayden) September 17, 2018
Reigns, as well as the other superstars at the event, will take over American Airlines Center Monday night for WWE Raw.
