Is My Son WWE's Next Big Thing?
I gave birth to the Hulk.
My son, Kale, at 6'10" and 300 pounds of muscle, is quite literally a giant. I was once introduced as “the mother of Thor.”
It’s not much of a stretch when you see him. His imposing presence turns heads wherever he goes, and there’s a certain expectation that someone of his stature might be destined for something out of the ordinary.
Despite his larger-than-life appearance, Kale has built exactly the life you'd expect for someone who values stability: a successful business, a beautiful wife and baby son, a 10-acre hobby farm in the bucolic Cowichan Valley in British Columbia.
Then one day, out of the blue, he says, "I'm going to go to wrestling school in Florida to try to make it into the WWE."
I laughed. "What? Why?"
I didn’t see this one coming. But, I also know when he puts his mind to something, it’s a done deal.
"I am the most famous, non-famous person I know. If I'm going to do something with my size the time is now."
I couldn't argue with that.
Still, I found myself asking, "And you want to be a wrestler? You hate being in crowds and you want to join what is essentially a travelling circus show?" I was trying not to hyperventilate. The idea of him moving away to Florida with his family was overwhelming.
While all the normal mother-type fears raced through my head, I also recognized that it sounded right for him.
I've always wanted him to spread his wings and explore his potential. He is compassionate, humble, smart (although he argues with me constantly on this point), caring, kind, and funny. This combined with his height makes him incredibly unique.
His journey to the wrestling ring wasn't a straight path. Like many origin stories, it began with challenges that shaped him.
The Early Years
His body outpaced his years, making him an easy target. As a toddler, he looked like he was school-aged. People assumed he was older.
When I went to buy him new running shoes, the salesperson offered him a small hard candy. I had to quickly take it away saying, "No, he can't have that. He's only two, he'll choke on it." The salesperson was shocked, "Oh my god, I'm so sorry, I thought he was five years old!"
The real trouble started when he was five.
A group of older neighbourhood boys became his tormentors. Though his size matched theirs, his kindergarten heart made him vulnerable. He'd approach them the way five-year-olds do – "Do you want to be my friend?" – and they turned his innocence against him.
What started as typical playground taunts escalated into something darker. They lured him into the forest and tied him to a tree. They locked his little brother in a dark garage while Kale pleaded for his release. They vandalized our house and spray-painted insults. One day, he asked me what "douche" meant, having read it beside his name on a fence.
I only learned the full extent of the bullying years later.
Every bully's worst fear should be that the little kid they tormented grows up to be Thor... and then they run into him later in life. Lucky for them, he's not into revenge – though I confess, a dark part of me wished he was.
From Bullied Kid to the Enforcer
The transformation came in his teens. After his childhood experience with bullies, he was determined to never be vulnerable again. He trained and toughened up to protect himself. He learned Mixed Martial Arts at a local gym, joined the Canadian military reserves at 16, and went through basic training.
This proved prescient.
When he was in his late teens and early 20s, he attracted a different kind of attention – often from drunk guys who wanted to fight him.
For a very short time, he obliged. Until one day, he thought he had killed someone. That put a stop to the fighting quick. It took a rugby team to bring him down in one bar fight that is better left forgotten.
It was during a walk to a Shania Twain concert in downtown Victoria when I first understood what he dealt with daily. Two strangers trash-talked my son as we walked.
I looked up at him as we kept walking. "Is this what you mean when you told me I didn't understand what you had to deal with every day?"
"Yes. Every day. Everywhere I go."
There was no hiding for him. He not only sticks out like a sore thumb, he has presence – the "it" factor. When he walks into a room, heads turn. All of them.
He finally found his tribe when he joined the Canadian National Rowing Team as a development athlete. There, he met other very tall, strong men, all vying to make it to the Olympics. They trained hard every day, eyes set on the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
It was an environment where excellence, precision, and complete dedication were required – the goal was to get better, faster, and stronger every day. The mantra during training… ”There’s only one standard, the gold standard.”
Unfortunately, the body has to cooperate, and a back injury ended that dream. Though the lessons learned in pursuit of Olympic glory continue to reverberate today.
The Wrestling Chapter
After the Olympic dream ended, Kale settled into his quiet island life. He built a successful business, married Grace, welcomed their son Axl, and seemed content tending to their hobby farm. Until wrestling called.
He packed up his vintage Cadillac and drove 6,000 miles across the country with no way to earn a living and his family in tow.
This gentle giant is now in Florida pursuing a spot in the WWE – yes, that WWE that's all over Netflix at the moment. For someone who once avoided crowds, he's found his unlikely home in the ring.
People LOVE watching wrestling, including the indie circuits where Kale is currently honing his craft. These are hardcore fans who live for their heels (bad guys) and baby faces (good guys).
It's like a play on steroids (no pun intended), and the audience isn't just watching – they're part of the show. The wrestlers use this, whipping them into a frenzy, trading insults and praise.
My son, with his giant Canadian maple leaf on his chest, started as the heel against the "all-American," but the audiences love him so much he's transitioning to baby face, much like Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson did in his wrestling heyday.
The attention he once dreaded has become his superpower.
At Waffle House, the waitress insisted he must be someone famous despite his denials. When he finally explained he was trying to break in to the WWE, she was excited. "When you make it, give a shout out to Lorraine. I just know you're gonna make it, hon."
On my recent trip to Florida, he wouldn't let me watch him wrestle. "When I make it to the WWE and I'm wrestling in the big arenas, then you can come and watch. You won't like it,” he added.
So I stayed home with my two-year-old grandson Axl while my husband and daughter-in-law went to the show in Kissimmee. My husband came home exhilarated if a little shell shocked from the immersive experience. I, in the meantime, will have to wait until he makes it to the big leagues.
I've seen videos (I rejoined Instagram just to follow along). I don't quite get it, but it's growing on me and I’m very happy for him to be going on this ride with his family.
A New Chapter Begins
Now, he needs an agent and a working visa for the U.S. to seize the opportunities coming his way. My son is on the brink of something extraordinary, and it's going to be thrilling to watch it unfold. There's nothing to lose, and what a story it will make for his grandkids.
I'm proud of him for following his dreams and grateful that his wife fully supports this chance. What an adventure life is.
I always opted for safety and stability, but watching him and his family embrace this new chapter has taught me something profound: you don't have to be just one thing. Life is a series of chapters, each an opportunity for growth and reinvention.
The little boy who was once tied to a tree is now commanding arenas. The gentle giant who hated crowds is working the audience like a maestro. The island homebody is ready to take on the world.
And his mother? Well, I'm learning that the greatest adventures often begin when we dare to imagine ourselves differently.
P.S. Here’s a short news clip about my son’s journey. If you want to follow along, he’s on instagram.
What say you?
Has your kid ever surprised you with a zig when you thought they were zagging?
What’s the weirdest thing anyone in your family has done for work?
Wrestling may be an acquired taste, but I’ll take any advice I can get when it comes to watching it.
Thank you for that very well written piece.
What a wonderfully inspiring story. Best of luck to your son's new endeavor!