Boy With Dyslexia Makes Giant Mosaic Portrait of John Cena’s Head Out of 750 Rubik’s Cubes, and the Actor Responds

(Getty Images | Matt Winkelmeyer)

“Dyslexia is not my disability. Dyslexia is my SUPERPOWER,” reads a handwritten sign displayed by 9-year-old Benjamin Russo in a YouTube video showcasing his unique talent. The young man demonstrates just what he can do by creating a giant mosaic of actor and professional wrestler John Cena’s face, made entirely out of Rubik’s Cubes—750 cubes to be exact.

The video, which lasts about 2-and-a-half minutes, shows young Benjamin meticulously manipulating each Rubik’s Cube to get a combination of red, white, yellow, and blue tiles to create a pixelated likeness of Cena and his trademark square jaw.

The feat was so impressive that the video went viral and caught the attention of John Cena himself. Calling the boy “the embodiment of #NeverGiveUp,” Cena took to Twitter to praise his “courage, perseverance, vulnerability, tremendous strength ...” adding, “he’s an ARTIST! I admire you, your work, and your outlook.”

The video was a chance for Benjamin to make people more aware of dyslexia. As he explains through a series of signs at the beginning, “I struggle with reading and writing. I mix up my words. I get very frustrated and upset too sometimes.” However, Benjamin doesn’t see dyslexia through the prism of what he can’t do. “Having dyslexia also means I can do something amazing!” his signs say.

Mom Melanie Russo has been a big supporter of Benjamin’s Rubik’s Cube projects, seeing them as a way to get the word about what dyslexic people can do. “Our goal is to spread awareness about dyslexia and have Benjamin feel good about something he (can) do that most people can’t,” she says. While people with dyslexia often have issues reading, their brains can give them an advantage for other tasks.

“Dyslexic brains are very different,” Melanie told CNN. “The right side is really strong, so they can be very artistic, very musical. I truly believe that he has this amazing ability because of dyslexia.”

Dad Louis Russo adds that the whole venture has been about changing perceptions about “disability.” “We never talk about the advantages and the special gifts that many dyslexics have, and Benjamin is not alone,” he said.

While for many people, manipulating 750 Rubik’s Cubes to match an exact pattern would take years, Melanie explained to TODAY that it’s “so effortless for [Benjamin] to be able to copy any pattern on a cube.”

Getting recognized on Twitter by his wrestling icon was a big surprise, and despite being a shy, reserved kid, Benjamin “does get excited as to how many likes he gets on his YouTube video and especially when John Cena tweeted about him!” his mom told TODAY.

Cena made the story even bigger on CBS’s “The Talk,” where he thanked the producers for highlighting Benjamin’s accomplishment.

“He’s a hero of mine [...] He is extremely talented and extremely gifted,” Cena said. He encouraged everyone watching the show to go check out Benjamin’s video, saying that “his message is so wise beyond his years.”

However, Benjamin only has so many Rubik’s Cubes to work with, so when he wanted to start a new project, creating a mosaic depicting Keanu Reeves from “John Wick,” he had to take the old one apart. His Instagram feed hasn’t announced who his next tribute will be dedicated to.