WWE performers Jacob Fatu and Joe Hendry stepped away from the ring Friday to spend time with children in a special art class hosted in support of families facing cancer.
The wrestlers joined Red Door Community for a caricature workshop with young participants whose lives have been touched by cancer. As part of the event, the nonprofit also raffled off two tickets to WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event, set for 8 p.m. at Madison Square Garden.
Fatu and Hendry connected with the Flatiron-based organization through the WWE Community Champions program. Red Door Community offers a wide range of free cancer support services, including group sessions, guest speakers, wellness programs and social events for people of all ages impacted by the disease.
Red Door Community CEO Dan Latore told The Post that charitable work is a major priority across WWE, adding that Fatu and Hendry were especially eager to get involved.
Before the event, Hendry told People that organizations such as Red Door play a vital role by giving families a chance to step away from daily stress, be creative and enjoy a lighter, more joyful moment together.
Red Door Community works with Theatre Within to offer members creative programming that includes visual arts, writing and meditation. Friday’s class was led by former MAD Magazine artist and art director Sam Viviano, alongside former MAD editor Joe Raiola.
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Latore said the nonprofit hopes to build on the momentum by collaborating with more groups and sports leagues on similar community events designed to bring energy, visibility and connection to its mission.
He described the experience as deeply meaningful and “so special.”
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. also took part in the workshop. Since taking office in 2020, Richards has been a major part of the investment and development of a new cancer center at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in partnership with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
At a recent town hall, Richards shared that $180 million has been secured in partnership with Gov. Kathy Hochul to fund the new center.
“It’s fantastic,” Latore said of Richards’s efforts. “Red Door Community has been around for 30 years, and we consider ourselves a New York icon. … We have membership from all five boroughs, our membership is very reflective of the New York City community.”
Perhaps the brightest moment of the day was giving a young boy two tickets to Saturday night’s WWE event at the Garden at the workshop’s conclusion.
“It just reminded me why I do this,” Latore said of the winning moment. “For all the things that are tough in life, you do a thing like this, and it just wipes it all away.”
