WWE Stars Give Back Through Art Class
On Friday, WWE wrestlers Jacob Fatu and Joe Hendry joined a children’s art class hosted by a nonprofit aimed at supporting cancer patients.
The two participated in a caricature workshop alongside the Red Door community, engaging with children who have been impacted by cancer. The organization also organized a raffle, offering two tickets to the main event at Madison Square Garden happening Saturday night at 8 p.m.
Fatu and Hendry collaborated with Red Door as part of the WWE Community Champions program. Based in Flatiron, Red Door Community provides support groups, wellness workshops, and social activities for individuals of all ages affected by cancer.
“Everyone in WWE is passionate about philanthropy, and these two really stood out,” said Dan LaTorre, CEO of Red Door Community.
Hendry shared his thoughts prior to the event, noting, “Organizations like Red Door are so important. They give families a day to step back from stress and an opportunity to express themselves creatively.”
Red Door Community has also partnered with Theater Within to offer creative workshops in various forms of art, writing, meditation, and more. The class was facilitated by former MAD Magazine artist Sam Viviano along with former editor Joe Raiola.
“We want to do more of this kind of work,” LaTorre noted. “Collaborating with other organizations across different sports leagues can really help generate excitement.”
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. was also present at the workshop. Since taking office in 2020, he has been instrumental in the initiative to establish a new cancer center at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in partnership with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Recently, he announced securing $180 million in funding for the project with Gov. Kathy Hochul.
“It’s impressive,” LaTorre commented on Richards’ efforts. “Red Door Communities has been an icon in New York City for 30 years, reflecting the diversity within our membership from all five boroughs.”
One of the day’s standout moments came when two young boys received tickets to Saturday night’s WWE event at Madison Square Garden.
“It really highlighted why I do this,” LaTorre reflected on that uplifting moment. “All the challenges in life fade away when you do something like this.”
