It goes without saying that if you were watching WWE between 2012-14, young Connor “The Crusher” Michalek touched your heart in one way or another. Diagnosed with brain cancer at age three, Connor underwent multiple surgeries and several rounds of chemotherapy and had to relearn how to walk and talk. In October of 2012, with the help of his parents, Michalek posted a video to YouTube asking to meet then-WWE Superstar Daniel Bryan. The post went viral and two months later, his wish came true. He would meet Bryan and other WWE superstars on several occasions thereafter, including a “match,” complete with ring entrance and WWE personnel surrounding the ring to watch, prior to an episode of “Raw” in which “The Crusher” pinned Triple H. The moment was captured on video and replayed on WWE television time and again, bringing smiles to all.

Connor’s condition was terminal but in April of 2014, he was able to sit at ringside at WrestleMania XXX to watch his hero Daniel Bryan win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. He died less than three weeks later at just 8 years old.

Months later, Stephanie McMahon, along with Triple H, founded Connor’s Cure, a non-profit charity for pediatric cancer research, in his memory, and in 2015, Michalek was honored with the first-ever Warrior Award, presented as part of that year’s Hall of Fame class.

Following Michalek’s death, Stephanie penned a heartfelt editorial for The Huffington Post titled “An Angel On Earth.” She detailed the time she first met Connor, him explaining his patented “choke out hug,” learning from his father that his time was severely limited, and how they came up with the idea to get him to WrestleMania XXX if he could just hang on long enough, which doctors did not expect him to do. In closing, McMahon wrote the following:

“I believe everything happens for a reason. I feel humbled and privileged that Connor somehow chose WWE to spread his message through our vast audience. Connor’s message is clear and simple: Life is all about love, be grateful for that love everyday, and give it unconditionally to others. And be sure to give those closest to you a big ‘choke out’ hug.”