John Cena is doing his part to help first responders dealing with California’s devastating wildfires by agreeing to donate $500,000 to their cause.
The 42-year-old actor, who stars in the comedy “Playing with Fire” about firefighters, shared a video on Twitter in honor of “#FirstRespondersDay” Monday in which he spoke to fans about the devastation going on in the state and his idea to help.
“As you may know, I have a movie coming out called ‘Playing With Fire’ in theaters on Nov. 8. It’s a wonderful comedy I think the whole family will enjoy, and it showcases a group of people that I believe are heroes — first responders.” he explained. “You also know that right now California is in dire straits. It is burning. It is under siege from massive wildfires statewide, which means our first responders are working around-the-clock, and they need our help.”
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The part-time WWE wrestler then called on Paramount, the film’s studio, to take action alongside him.
“Today I asked myself, ‘What can I do?’ I have come up with an answer. I want Paramount to do me one favor,” he said. “I want them to pick a charity. Pick a charity that aids our first responders as soon as possible and on behalf of ‘Playing With Fire’ and out of respect to the people that I truly believe are heroes, my response will be to immediately donate half a million dollars to this cause.”
The blaze in California erupted Monday around 1:30 a.m. local time in the Sepulveda Pass along Interstate 405 near the Getty Center Museum community and the hill-top golf community of Mountain Gate, according to LAFD spokesman Capt. Erik Scott.
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By 11 a.m. ET, officials said it had already grown to encompass over 500 acres as more than 470 LAFD firefighters with assistance from neighboring agencies rushed to combat the blaze. Over 10,000 structures, both residential and commercial, were located in the mandatory evacuation zones that include the Mountain Gate, Mandeville Canyon and Bundy areas in western LA County.
John Cena agreed to pay $500,000 in order to help first responders dealing with the California wildfires.
(Reuters)
Cena ended his urgent message with a well-wish to those dealing with the fires.
“In times like this, when people are giving their lives and working around-the-clock, what they need from us is resources,” he concluded. “This is the right thing to do and I’m doing my part to help the cause. I wish everyone the best of luck. Please stay safe and you are our heroes.”
Cena previously praised first responders in an interview with Good Housekeeping in which he described the day-to-day danger that they face.
“What sets first responders apart is that an ordinary day of work can include willingly facing down danger,” Cena noted. “I admire that because it is something I have trouble doing.”
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He added: ‘I think it’s up to us to find out who the people in our communities are who save lives — and let them know they are appreciated.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
