Community champion: Mero makes his mark beyond the mat
In this provided photo, Marc Mero gives a presentation on his “Choices” tour at a New York City school. He will be speaking at area schools in Central and Northern New York from Oct. 12-16.
By JOSH ST. CROIX
Marc Mero reached the peak of professional wrestling as it evolved into a cultural phenomenon in the 1990s — enjoying fame, fortune and championship glory along the way.
Yet there is no greater joy for the global superstar than witnessing the smiles on young faces in school auditoriums, or when he opens a letter from a student or parent expressing gratitude for his guidance through turbulent times.
Mero is now in his 20th year as a motivational speaker, sharing the unfiltered ups and downs of his journey and inspiring hope among students around the world through his “Choices” tour.
The Buffalo native and Liverpool High School graduate is set to return to his Central New York roots, where he gained local notoriety in football, hockey and boxing long before lighting up TV screens for World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and the World Wrestling Federation (WWF).
Mero will bring his powerful presentation to Fulton and General Brown schools when he visits the area from Oct. 12-16 and is open to adding more districts to the CNY circuit.
“There is no greater joy than helping another person, if I can help someone sharing my story of what I went through or some issues in my life that can benefit other people,” Mero said. “And because I’ve been doing this so long, we get letters from students that saw me years ago, and from their parents, that are now playing professional football or doing all kinds of great things.”
Mero took up professional wrestling at age 30 and quickly debuted with the Ted Turner-owned WCW as the flamboyant “Johnny B. Badd” character in May 1991. He won the WCW World Television championship three times before earning a guaranteed contract from the WWF, now known as the WWE, which was a rare feat at the time.
He wrestled for the premiere brand in the industry from 1996-99 as “Wildman Marc Mero” and later in a boxing-inspired persona as “Marvelous Marc Mero.” He won the prestigious WWF Intercontinental title during his first year in the company.
Mero retired from a decorated 15-year career in pro wrestling in 2006, but not before acknowledging that he “lost it all to bad choices,” as he describes in his presentations.
“One thing I’ve learned is that we all go through trials and tribulations,” Mero said. “We all go through storms in life. Some storms you can just walk through, some storms you got to run through, but there are going to be storms that come in our life that we got to hold on with everything we got. And I just tell students — don’t let go, don’t give up, and just hold on, because eventually after every storm, the sun will eventually shine.”
Roughly a year after retiring from the ring, Mero discovered his true calling.
He founded the nonprofit organization “Champion of Choices” in 2007, with the mission to empower young people around the world to make positive decisions.
Mero soon started touring schools at home and abroad to deliver his resonant message and has since made his impact felt around the United States, Canada, the U.K., Guatemala and Russia, just to name a few.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mero estimated that he delivered about 230 presentations during a 10-month span each year, which rivaled the notorious grueling travel schedule during his heyday in the WWF.
Mero gives an honest and unfiltered take on his choices, how they impacted his life, and uplifts students to power through adversity and focus on their life goals and dreams.
“I really talk about relevant issues kids are going through — depression, anxiety, being bullied or abused, self-harm, those thoughts about wanting to be here, things like that,” Mero said. “I do it in a way of really sharing my story with students on what I went through and what I experienced in my life.”
Mero also worked with author Ben Veal to capture his entire story in the autobiography: “Marc Mero, from Badd to Good,” which was released in March 2025.
No stranger to fan mail during his wrestling career, Mero said that the letters and messages he receives today hit him a bit differently.
Some parents or students reach out with a simple thank you. Others describe how his presentation literally saved their lives amid mental health struggles.
He is also elated to hear the success stories of young adults who benefited from his presentation. Students are encouraged to jot down their goals on a list that they can see daily, and many followed that advice and are now living out their dreams after writing them into existence.
Mero has recently heard back from a former student who achieved his goal of reaching the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour, another playing pro football, and a female singer who just earned her first record deal in Nashville, Tennessee.
“I really challenge kids to go after their dreams and goals in life,” Mero said.
“That’s what keeps me going,” he added of the feedback. “Even more-so than that, the kids that wrote to me that it saved their life. They wanted to end their life and when they saw the presentation, it saved them. Parents wrote to me and thanked me for it. Those letters just stick with me, and it makes you want to do more and more, as many as you can.”
Mero has visited several schools in Upstate New York during his two decades touring and inspiring. The reviews are consistently raving.
Copenhagen Superintendent Scott Connell is featured in a video approaching Mero directly after a past presentation at the high school to shake his hand and thank him. He is among the hundreds of administrators that have publicly offered a glowing assessment.
“(My) 40th year in education, 40th year at this school, best presentation I’ve ever seen in my life,” Connell said. “Awesome. We really appreciate it.”
Earlier this month, Mero was announced as the 2026 International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame Medal of Mettle recipient, recognizing his work with youths around the world.
Mero has stated that this year’s tour will be his last. He started this month by visiting four schools in the New York City area with his wife, Malissa, who now joins in the presentation.
He has already received a message from a seventh-grade teacher in attendance expressing appreciation, stating that even the “tough boys,” in the class told her that they cried listening to Mero.
“The students that just flock to you after the presentation that just want to talk to you, or share their story, or give you a high-five or a hug or something,” Mero said. “It’s just incredible.”
Mero’s next stop adds another layer of emotion as he returns to where his journey began.
Before attaining global superstardom in pro wrestling, Mero laid the foundation at Liverpool High School as a first-team, all-league player in football and hockey.
He also started boxing in Syracuse-area gyms and ultimately won gold at the 1980 Empire State Games in the 178-pound men’s boxing division. He is a four-time New York State amateur boxing champion and won the state Golden Gloves tournament.
Now, Mero is eager to make the greatest impact yet on his home region by aiming to inspire others who are developing their respective dreams or struggling beneath the surface.
“We receive hundreds of letters from students after presentations, and most of the letters are beautiful on how this presentation inspired them or changed their life,” Mero said. “Going back to where I grew up, there will be no greater joy than helping as many kids as I can when I’m there.”
You can follow Marc Mero on Facebook and Instagram, visit his YouTube page (www.youtube.com/themarcmero) or learn more at his website thinkpoz.org.
In this provided photo, Marc Mero poses with students after a presentation on his “Choices” tour at a New York City school. He will be speaking at area schools in Central and Northern New York from Oct. 12-16.
In this provided photo, Marc Mero and his wife, Malissa, pose with students after a presentation on his “Choices” tour at a New York City school. He will be speaking at area schools in Central and Northern New York from Oct. 12-16.
In this provided photo, Marc Mero poses with the WWF Intercontinental title after winning the coveted championship in 1996.
In this provided photo, Marc Mero poses with his brother in their Liverpool High School hockey uniforms. Mero will be speaking at area schools in Central and Northern New York from Oct. 12-16.
