Wrestling event helps hurting children
Published 7:18 pm Monday, December 17, 2018
Special to The News
Professional wrestling entertains and inspires kids around the world with millions watching it on television and attending live events.
Southeast Texas-based Hurricane Pro Wrestling is using its platform to inspire kids but also to help an organization that works with hurting children in the area.
On Saturday, they’ll partner with Kingdom Zoo Wildlife Center for a special event featuring some of the top names in the independent wrestling scene. The event is at the Beaumont Civic Center; doors open at 5:30, bell time is 7 p.m.
From Hurricane Pro Champion Jordan Jensen to high-flying Estrella Galactica to Impact Wrestling’s Brian Cage along with Hurricane Pro women’s champion Miranda Alize and (the team that crowd loves to hate) The Pump Patrol, the card will be the biggest in the organization’s history.
“We have put together a show that will draw in a big crowd and raise funds for Kingdom Zoo Wildlife Center, an awesome group of people we met at one of our matches,” said Jared Wayne of the Pump Patrol and an alumus of Nederland High School.
Wayne, 10 years into his wrestling career, has battled in rings from Jefferson County to New Jersey. He said Hurricane Pro is bringing in some of the world’s most gifted wrestlers.
“We wanted to make this a special card for a special cause and I promise this will be a wrestling show no one will ever forget,” he said.
Kingdom Zoo Wildlife Center’s founder Chester Moore said they have founded an offshoot of their Wild Wishes program called “World Wildlife Champions” to help hurting kids learn how to help hurting wildlife.
“Who could possiblly understand hurting and endangered wildlife better than young people who have been through great challenges?” he asked.
Wild Wishes grants exotic animal encounters to children who have a terminal or debilitating illness or have lost a parent or sibling. A number of the kids from the program have attended Hurricane Pro events with the organization and have become big fans.
When 14-year-old Destiny was asked who her favorite tag team is she didn’t say The New Day for AOP from the WWE.
“It’s the Pump Patrol!”
That type of enthusiasm will make what Hurricane Pro is doing for the kids that much more impactful.
“We have issued our kids a challenge to raise $1,000 by Dec. 22 to give to the Amos Research Keep that does sea turtle rescue and rehab in Port Aransas and the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo’s raptor work in Israel,” said founder Chester Moore.
“If they meet this goal they will be presented a special World Wildlife Champions belt by wrestlers in the ring that they can then take to events and raise awareness and funds for wildlife conservation.”
Wayne said he has met some of these kids and not only are they big wrestling fans, but they love to help wildlife.
“When they get that belt presented to them it will be like giving them a platform to go out and raise awareness to their cause. It will be a powerful moment,” Wayne said.
In addition to the belt presentation proceeds from the event will go to benefit Kingdom Zoo Wildlife Center’s programs.
For more info on the event go to hurricanepro.info.