Why Steve Maclin, Deonna Purrazzo finally took leap to book charity wrestling show that helps veterans
Steve Maclin and Deonna Purrazzo initially dismissed the idea of running their own charity wrestling show. The former TNA world champion and his wife, the current Ring of Honor Pure Women’s champion, had wanted to stay away from that major undertaking.It wasn’t until Tunnel to Towers Foundation president Mike Lentin and his son Josh approached them about it after their Heroes Hockey Cup last October and persisted that it would be a good idea. The couple, who are both New Jersey natives, have been working in other ways with the foundation for three-plus years and chose to take the leap.“We said screw it,” Maclin, who joined the Marines in 2007 and completed two deployments in Afghanistan, told The Post.
“Let’s give it a shot and see how it goes.” He and Purrazzo are putting on the Battle for the Brave on Saturday at 7 p.m.at the Rahway Rec Center in Rahway, N.J., to benefit Tunnel to Towers, which assists military veterans, first responders and their families with things such as mortgages, smart homes and college tuitions. The 31-year-old Purrazzo, who is a Livingston native, said it can be challenging in the wrestling space to find a cause to advocate for in a climate where you could risk isolating half of your audience with something they don’t agree with.
Even supporting the military and first responders can be hyper-politicized, but for them, it’s now.“That’s our community.That’s where our hearts lie,” Purrazzo said.
“But finding that comfortability in being able to say we support our military and we support our country and we want to give back to this community because it means so much to us and we want to see our veterans come home and live happy, successful lives after service. “We want our first responders and their families to feel comfortable and not stress about how to pay their bills.We want to eradicate veteran homelessness and all of those things are really noble causes.” The 39-year-old Maclin, who ...