Wrestling Stars Host Benefit for 9/11 Veterans Foundation

Two pro wrestling stars are stepping into the ring for heroes who stepped up for America.

Steve Maclin and Deonna Purrazzo will host Battle for the Brave on June 6 at the Rahway Rec Center in New Jersey. The wrestling showcase will raise money for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which supports first responders and veteran families affected by 9/11.

Maclin knows what service means firsthand. He served as a Marine Corps machine gunner from 2007 to 2011, including tours in Afghanistan's Helmand Province.

"9/11 was a big part of my life as a kid growing up," Maclin said. He grew up outside New York City and was in homeroom when the attacks happened.

That day changed his path forever. "It instilled what I always knew I needed to do and that was to go serve and fight for my country no matter what," he explained.

After leaving the Marines, Maclin found wrestling. The sport gave him purpose during a difficult transition that many veterans face without support.

Purrazzo, Ring of Honor's current women's pure champion, was in second grade during 9/11. Being married to a veteran opened her eyes to struggles many don't see.

"Veterans deal with an identity crisis of who am I after service," she said. Statistics show that up to 44 veterans a day lose their lives to this hidden battle.

The Ripple Effect

The response from the wrestling community has blown both organizers away. Talent from across the industry signed up immediately, each with their own connection to 9/11.

The event falls during America's 250th birthday celebrations. It's part of a wave of patriotic events happening across the country this summer.

Tunnel to Towers pays off mortgages for fallen first responders' families, builds smart homes for wounded veterans, and now covers college tuition for their children. The foundation has helped thousands of families rebuild their lives after tragedy.

Maclin recently worked at Tunnel to Towers events and saw something powerful. People from every background came together waving American flags, celebrating what unites rather than divides.

"That's what I fight for, that's what I still fight for," he said.

Almost 25 years after 9/11, two wrestlers are making sure the promise to never forget includes never forgetting to help.