DOWAGIAC — As Dowagiac Union High School students, staff and faculty gathered in the Dowagiac Middle School auditorium, beyond their individual differences, they all had one thing in common.

Each of them wore a black T-shirt with green, bold lettering on the front, which read “be nice.”

The guest speaker, Marc Mero, a former professional wrestler and amateur boxer turned motivational speaker, also wore the same “be nice.” T-shirt in unison with the crowd.

Through Mero’s speech, he spoke to students about a variety of topics, including anti-bullying messages and how students can examine their life choices.

Mero was working towards becoming an amateur boxer, when he shattered his nose prior to a big professional boxing match. He ended up needing surgery, and during his recovery process, was presented with choices.

“First thing I did wrong was I started hanging out with the wrong people,” Mero said.

Mero had ambitions to return to boxing after his year of recovery, but grew distracted by partying and the abuse of drugs and alcohol.

“I did this week after week, month after month,” Mero narrated. “One year turned into two years. Two years turned to four years. Four years turned to 10 years of drug addiction.”

The only job Mero said he could get with his limited high school education was digging swimming pools. As he dug those swimming pools, he would ask himself, “How did I get here?”

“I threw it all away because of who I chose to surround myself with,” Mero said. “Guys, we choose to become who we surround ourselves with. Show me your friends, I’ll show you your future.”

Mero said, in his opinion, the saddest part of his drug addiction was that he ended up hurting the people who loved him the most.

Mero detailed how his relationships with his family, specifically his mother, younger sister and younger brother, were all impacted by his decisions.

Mero said he is in his 13th year of working with students and has realized how much of an impact one person can make.

“I have never found more happiness, more joy, more purpose in my own life than being right here, right now,” Mero said. “I realized we all have an impact on each other’s lives. Whether it’s positive or negative, we all have an impact.”

Mero said he lost his sister to cancer and would have done anything to be with her again.

“We are defined by our choices,” Mero said. “The choices we make today can affect us and our families for the rest of our lives. Sometimes in life, you get another chance. Sometimes.”

At 30 years old, Mero was still dealing with drug addiction, dealing drugs to support his habit and living paycheck to paycheck, but he decided to attend a wrestling school in Tampa, Florida.

Exactly one year later, Mero signed a lucrative contract in professional wrestling. He was voted Wrestling’s “Rookie of the Year.”

Mero was able to make it in professional wrestling, but resorted to his old ways.

“The first thing I did wrong again was the people I chose to hang out with,” Mero said. “Because of my bad choices, I lost it all.”

When Mero thought it could not get worse, it did. While on tour in Japan, his mother died and two weeks later, so did his younger brother.

Mero encouraged students to go home and tell their loved ones and family members how much they mean to them and to repair broken relationships.

“I’ve learned every day you should try to make somebody feel special,” Mero said. “I’ve learned that making a living is not the same as making a life. I made millions of dollars, and I was so empty inside. … You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give. You want to be happy, help someone else become happy.”