According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 700 babies born in the United States has Down syndrome, and approximately half of those also have a congenital heart defect.

Tad Whaley was born with Trisomy 21 Down syndrome and a congenital heart defect. Despite his diagnosis, he has overcome many odds, with a special person by his side. Now their special bond is taking them on a journey to one day meet Tad's idol. 

From the lights to the cheering of the fans and the infamous John Cena, Tad has always loved the WWE.

"Here is my hat and shirt, it’s called 'You can’t see me,'” Tad said.

Tad has tuned into the show to escape many of the harsh realities he has faced throughout his life.

“He has Down syndrome, he was born with a hole in his heart and had open heart surgery when he was 18 months old,” Tad’s aide Stacey Youngs said. “I just made a promise the day he was born that if anything happened to the two of them, that I would always try to be there.”

Continuing her promise to Tad's mother, Youngs continued to stick by Tad’s side.

“His father died of brain cancer in 2014 in Florida,” Youngs said. “And so he didn't get to say goodbye to him. And when he was told he actually thought it was his fault, he said, ‘What did I do wrong?’ And his mother was tragically kicked in the head by a horse and succumbed to her injuries a week later.”

Finding a way to be there for both Tad and his mother, Youngs has devoted herself to being Tad's aide, spending many of their days filled with WWE SmackDown videos and TikTok.

“He loves doing the videos,” Youngs said. “He's been getting a lot of response. We've done some lives with him on TikTok.”

Gaining popularity through their content on social media, they have received a lot of support. They even received a call from the WWE and the Ball Arena for Tad and Stacey to attend a show in Denver.

In mid-September, Tad and Youngs flew to Denver, but did not meet John Cena. Tad continues to support his idol from outside of the ring, but Youngs believes the real hero at the show is Tad.

“It takes a village to raise a child that isn't special needs and it takes a bigger village to raise one that is,” Youngs said. “And I'm proud to be part of the village. That's my boy, he deserves the world, he deserves the world and I want to give it to him.”

Tad and Youngs say the experience at the WWE SmackDown in Colorado was life-changing, but their journey is still not over. With the goal of Tad meeting his idol in person, Youngs continues to support his dreams by creating content and more memories together.