When the Right Move Isn't Obvious

The brief was simple: find out what people were saying about Connor.

Connor Michalek was a young WWE fan who had met Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon during a Make-A-Wish visit. He later passed away from cancer. When WWE released a tribute video and it began circulating publicly, Stephanie wanted to understand how fans were responding. That was the starting point.

What I found was something bigger than sentiment. Fans weren't just grieving — they were asking WWE for something specific. The clearest signal: induct Connor into the WWE Hall of Fame. No fan had ever been inducted. No child had ever been inducted. It had never been done.

The communications challenge wasn't the idea. It was the judgment call around it. Done wrong, it would read as exploitative — a company using a child's death for brand value. Done right, it could be one of the most meaningful things WWE had ever done publicly. I made the case to leadership that it was worth doing, and that the difference between those two outcomes was entirely in the execution.

I developed the full narrative strategy: how the announcement would be framed, where and when it would happen, how it would connect to Connor's Cure as a nonprofit partner, and how the sequencing would give fans time to respond before the official induction. The recommendation went to the CEO and Chairman of the Board. It was approved.

In March 2015, with nearly three million viewers watching live, WWE announced Connor "The Crusher" as the newest inductee into the Hall of Fame. The induction generated extensive press coverage and drove $250,000 in donations to Connor's Cure during WrestleMania weekend.

The work was a judgment call first and a communications strategy second. That's usually how it goes.