Grab the tissues: Former wrestler's powerful speech about his mother moves entire school to tears

Motivational speaker Marc Mero had once managed to push the students and faculty members of Marietta, Georgia's Sprayberry High School to tears with his emotional presentation and speech. The 64-year-old Mero, a retired American professional wrestler and motivational speaker, visited the school to deliver his profound presentation. Mero credited his confident present self as a result of one influential person in his life - his mother. However, having had a tough relationship with his mother, it was not until it was too late that he realized the impact she had on his life. The speaker reflected on this tragic experience and what he learned and needless to say, there was not a single dry eye in the room. Mero's speech, which has been uploaded on his YouTube channel, has since amassed over 2 million views and counting. 

At one point in the speech, he reflected on the time when his mother would always attend all his sporting events and would support him from the sidelines. He confessed that the greatest gift his mother has given him so far was that she believed in him. "I have overdosed on drugs on three occasions," Mero made a shocking revelation during his speech. "I should have been dead but I believe I was kept here for a reason. I hung out with losers and I became the biggest loser them all because I gave up everything I dreamt about as a little boy because of who I chose to surround myself with."

His wrong group of friends would often drive him home early in the morning and they would be drunk or would consume drugs. But Mero knew that his mother would be up at their house waiting for him and wouldn't go to bed until he made it back home and went to bed. He would exchange a few words with his mother before crashing into his bed. He would refuse to talk to her any further and slam the bedroom door. While in Japan, he got a shocking call from America where he was informed about his mother's passing.

"I flew home for a funeral and I was so nervous to walk up to her casket so I just stood way in the back and I kept looking from a distance," Mero continued in his speech. He finally gathered enough courage to walk up to her casket and look at his late mother who was dressed beautifully. He stood over the grave and told his mom that she was his hero and everything he ended up achieving in his life was because she continued to love him. Mero regretted not giving his mother enough time and attention, and not talking to her when she wanted to. He regretted not being a better son.

"I'm not here to preach to you I'm here to tell you I lived that life and it leads to broken hearts, broken relationships, broken dreams, and death," Mero said to the students, who were already wiping their eyes and sobbing. "If you have a mother or a father, when you go home, tell them how much you love them. See, my whole life was about being rich and famous. I had to be a millionaire. I had to win the race. I did win the race at the expense of my marriage, my family, and for what?" Mero learned what was truly important a bit too late. He realized that life is precious and everything we hold dear to ourselves can be taken away from us in an instant.

"It is what is in your heart that truly matters. Love is just a word until somebody comes along and gives it meaning to you. You are the meaning," Mero concluded. "In my 22 years of education, I can honestly say that this presentation was far and away the best I have ever seen. Marc’s message is all-encompassing on areas of concern including bullying, suicide prevention, goal-setting, substance abuse, and what it takes to make great choices in life. Our students and faculty were moved, and more importantly actively engaged in reflection, tears, laughter, and hope for the entire 70-minute presentation," the principal of the high school, John Kelly wrote in a statement.

The video, when posted on YouTube, left every viewer teary-eyed. "I'm not a soft person, but I'm crying so hard right now," commented @dawnramos4723, while @officialkeyera wrote, "He came to my school and when he told me this story, I was crying my eyes out."