TNA's Steve Maclin and ROH's Deonna Purrazzo Host Wrestling Benefit for Tunnel to Towers in New Jersey

Pro wrestlers Steve Maclin and Deonna Purrazzo will host a wrestling showcase next month in New Jersey to raise money for the Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

Maclin performs for TNA Wrestling. Purrazzo holds the Ring of Honor women's pure championship. The pair organized Battle for the Brave: Wrestling Showcase for Heroes after working with Josh Lentin of the Heroes Cup Hockey Tournament. The event starts at 7 p.m. ET on June 6 at the Rahway Rec Center in Rahway.

Purrazzo told Fox News Digital that she and Maclin, both wrestlers for more than a decade, were unsure about promoting an event. They accepted the challenge for the cause. She added that support from the pro wrestling world has been tremendous.

The event ties to the upcoming 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. "It’s a great cause just because that entire New York/New Jersey area, the Tri-State area, has really been affected by 9/11. It affected both of our lives," Maclin told Fox News Digital. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2005. Many wrestlers on the card have personal connections to 9/11.

Tunnel to Towers supports first responders' families by paying off mortgages and building smart homes for wounded veterans. The foundation also covers college tuition for families of fallen first responders and veterans.

Maclin served in the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines Weapons Company as a machine gunner. He deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan, from 2007 to 2011. Growing up outside New York City, he was in homeroom when the attacks happened. "9/11 was a big part of my life as a kid growing up," he said. The event led him to join the Marines.

"I chose the Marines because the Marines are the best," Maclin said. "Now, here we are, almost 25 years later, and we’re running a wrestling show in honor of 9/11 and our first responders."

Battle for the Brave coincides with America 250 celebrations marking the nation's 250th birthday.

Purrazzo, who grew up in New Jersey, was in second grade on 9/11. She recalled a sense of national unity in the aftermath. As the wife of a veteran, she has gained new passion for supporting service members. "Steve opening up about his service... has given me a new passion to let veterans know that... war will always come home with you but it doesn’t have to define you."

Wrestling helped Maclin after his service, she said. Veterans face an identity crisis post-service, with estimates rising from 22 to 44 suicides per day.

Maclin worked Tunnel to Towers events this year. He saw people of all backgrounds waving American flags. "That’s what I fight for," he said.

A Gallup poll last June showed declining American pride. A Fox News poll found six in 10 proud of the U.S.

Purrazzo and Maclin said Americans should embrace patriotism openly. "We shouldn’t be ashamed to be American," Purrazzo said. "We shouldn’t be ashamed to support our military."

Maclin will enter the Battle for the Brave Cup Gauntlet Match as the first competitor. The over-the-top battle royal features Richard Holliday, Megan Bayne, BDE and others. The final two face off in a match.

Purrazzo is not scheduled for a match but may handle commentary.

The Hardy Boyz, Jeff and Matt Hardy, will headline. "My brother and I are both very excited to be headlining Steve Maclin and Deonna Purrazzo's very special Tunnel to Towers event," they said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "We are very grateful for all of these people's services... We look forward to raising as much money as we possibly can."