A New York firefighter is one of the finalists for PETA's Sexiest Vegan Next Door this year, according to the animal rights and protection organization.
Yonkers firefighter Kevin Duffy has advanced to the final round of 20 contestants, and visitors to PETA's website can choose two winners for the title. Voting runs until noon May 13, and vote count is one of the factors used to select the winners, PETA said in a statement.
Duffy, who has been a firefighter since 2011, went vegan in 2015 as a way to improve his athletic performance, according to the organization. He is a five-time Ironman, eight-time half-Ironman and five-time marathon finisher.
"Healthy living, my new lifestyle, and plant-based food have helped me to change my life around, live with purpose, and give back to others," Duffy said in a statement.
A few of Duffy's colleagues, as well as his mother, have followed his example and gone vegan. Duffy credits being vegan with increasing his energy and improving his mental health since his brother's death on 9/11,
"Kevin Duffy is a living, breathing example of the strength and energy that can come from going vegan," Tracy Reiman, PETA's executive vice president, said in a statement.
Winners of PETA's Sexiest Vegan Next Door title will each receive a free vacation for two to Hawaii from Humane Travel. PETA will announce the winners May 20.
