Mero, who rose to fame as a WCW and WWE wrestler, talked about the highlights of his life and his career. He urged them to set goals, write them down, and work toward them.

“When I was 10 years old, I started writing down my dreams and goals,” Mero said as he showed the audience the journal he has held onto for decades. “I wrote that I wanted to be a pro athlete. I wrote it into existence, and I worked to make it happen.”

While he achieved many of the goals he wrote down, he noted that he also made poor choices along the way that led to rock bottom. He talked about how addiction changed him, ruined relationships and cost him his loved ones and his career.

“I started hanging out with bad people, people who made bad choices,” Mero said. “Your friends are like elevators; they’re either going to take you down or they’re going to bring you up. Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future.”

Mero encouraged students to make good choices, to be kind and to follow their dreams. His presentation aimed to provide students with inspiration to face their own challenges and empower them to make a difference in their personal life, school and community.