It’s 20 years since a broke Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson asked his Uncle Tonga, a once famous wrestler, to lend him his shorts for his first bout because he couldn’t afford any.
And now the 43-year-old actor is paying him back.
The star gifted his Tonga Fifita on Christmas Day with a tricked-out Ford F-150 truck that retails for around $58,000.
Repaying his kindness: Dwayne Johnson gave his Uncle Tonga Ford F-150 truck for Christmas to repay him for lending him his wrestling shorts 20 years ago when he was broke and couldn’t afford any for his first bout
And he shared his ‘cool Christmas story’ on Instagram on Sunday with a montage of snaps showing himself and Tonga with the truck; his first wrestling bout in 1995; and Tonga standing next to a huge wrestler who towered over him.
Dwayne’s long, tear-jerking caption explained the back story to the gift that kicked started his wrestling career and lead to his success as a Hollywood star in films including the Fast & Furious franchise.
It started: ‘Cool Christmas story to share with y’all… Known my ‘Uncle Tonga’ since I was 5yrs old.
‘My grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia helped train him to become a professional wrestler in the 70’s.
A different look: The 43-year-old, who still had hair in 1995, shared a montage of shots on Instagram on Sunday, including this one of him wearing Tonga’s purple shorts for his first bout in Corpus Christi, Texas
‘Throughout Tonga’s illustrious wrestling career he changed his name to “King Haku” and became one of the WWE’s most sought after “bad guys” still known to this day for being one of the toughest and legit most vicious man in wrestling history.
‘Years later and I get a call from WWE saying “Vince McMahon wants to see you wrestle immediately. He’s flying you to RAW tomorrow and you’ll have a tryout match.”
‘I thought holy shit that’s awesome, buuuut there’s a few problems: For me, I wasn’t just having “a tryout match”, because I had never actually HAD a real match in my life. Ever.
In his purple shorts: Uncle Tonga Fifita, who wrestled as King Haku in the Seventies, ‘is still known to this day for being one of the toughest and legit most vicious man in wrestling history,’ Dwayne wrote
‘WWE thought that I already had multiple matches under my belt, but little did they know. What they also didn’t know was that I was broke as hell and didn’t actually own wrestling gear – no boots, knee pads or most importantly.. wrestling trunks.
‘I went to Sports Authority and bought some bright ass white volleyball knee pads, called my Uncle and asked if he had ANY trunks I could use for my tryout.
‘He said all I have is a pair of shiny purple trunks (purple was his signature color), I told him I don’t care if the trunks are all the colors of Skittles, I’ll happily wear them.
Becoming The Rock: The 6ft 5ins hunk pictured at WrestleMania XXVlll at the Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens in 2012, became a huge draw in the ring and parlayed his success into a career as a Hollywood actor
‘When I picked the trunks up from him I’ll never forget the monster hug he gave me, look me in the eyes and said, “I’m so proud of you. Go get ’em nephew!”
‘Here’s the picture of me wrestling my FIRST MATCH EVER in Corpus Christi, TX in front of 15,000 people – proudly in my lucky purple trunks. And the rest… was history.
‘My Uncle Tonga is a family man, humble man and champion. Most importantly one of the greatest human beings I know.
Hollywood star: Dwayne now has a slew of blockbusters under his belt including the Fast & Furious franchise
‘So we walk outside and I said “Uncle how do you like my truck?” He said, “Whoooaaa nephew it’s beautiful… I love it!” I said “Good ’cause it’s yours.”
‘He was speechless. Thru tears (manly of course) we monster hugged ’cause I’ll never forget what he did for me when I had nothing. Merry Christmas Uncle and ofa atu. #LuckyPurpleTrunks.’
‘Ofa atu’ means ‘love you’ in Samoan.
Mingling with A-listers: Dwayne and longtime girlfriend Lauren Hashian, who gave birth to their first child on December 16, attended the Oscars at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 22