WWE star Braun Strowman organizes donation drive for Menasha tornado survivors

FRANKLIN, Wis. (CBS 58) — A wrestling icon is using his platform to help survivors of the Menasha tornado.

Southeastern Wisconsin native Adam Scherr, a former WWE star known as Braun Strowman, organized a donation drive Thursday, July 30, to collect supplies for Fox Valley tornado relief.

Cars lined up at Franklin Field throughout the day, all encouraged by one big guy with a big heart.

Within about a half-hour of the drive beginning, an entire truck had already been filled with donations.

Former WWE champion Braun Strowman, now the host of the food show "Everything on the Menu," orchestrated the event. Scherr, who lives in Hartford, said he felt compelled to help as soon as he saw the devastation left behind by the EF-3 tornado.

"I saw what happened in the Fox Valley and I was absolutely blown away, devastated. It brought tears to my eyes," Scherr said.

"I'm honored to be able to help and facilitate, use my platform, my fans, my followers, to do some good in this world," he added.

When Scherr saw the tornado damage Tuesday morning, he immediately reached out to his friend David Herro, owner of Great Lakes Championship Wrestling.

"He goes, 'Why don't we hop in the truck with chainsaws and go up there,'" Herro recalled. "I'm like, let's do something that we can both do a lot easier than chainsaws."

Instead, they organized a donation drive, with the Milwaukee Milkmen hosting the event at Franklin Field, Chips Express providing trucks and volunteers stepping up to help.

"It was a lot of phone calls saying, 'Hey, can you?' — and everybody said yes," Herro said.

The drive quickly became a success, filling two trucks with nonperishable food, baby supplies, electrolyte drinks and other necessities. Some supporters also donated cash, including the West Allis Knights of Columbus, which contributed $2,500.

"This money will go to people who are really in need," said Mike Bartoszewicz, president of the West Allis Knights of Columbus. "I cannot even imagine what goes through a person's mind, a family's mind, where your house is there, and 10 minutes later it's gone."

Scherr said helping the Fox Valley was personal.

"Knowing that this is an hour away from my house, and it's my neighbors. It's neighbors helping neighbors," he said. "You see this community coming together like this, and they're doing everything they can to help get these people back on their feet."

He added, "Showing why Wisconsin is Wisconsin. It's so amazing. It's because of the people and the community and the love they have for each other."

For Scherr, the event was about showing support for the state he calls home.

"I'm here with you, we're praying for you, this community loves you," Scherr said.

The donation drive ran from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

After it concluded, volunteers delivered two truckloads of donations to the main relief hub at UW-Oshkosh, where United Way Fox Cities volunteers will distribute the supplies to tornado survivors.