Las Vegas police officer David Anthony is the winner of the 2018 Sexiest Vegan Next Door, according to the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals.
Anthony competed against a total of 20 contestants for the title in a voting competition held by PETA. As the winner, he was awarded a vacation for two to Maui, Hawaii from Humane Travel.
PETA wrote in a statement to the press that Anthony helped evacuate survivors and look for missing people while he was off-duty during the 1 October shooting in Las Vegas.
Anthony tells 13 Action News that he initially became vegan for health reasons.
"At my department we get a yearly physical, and for the past 8 years my cholesterol and blood pressure had always been borderline high. I got sick and tired of being sick and tired," he says.
Anthony claims his cholesterol dropped from 222 to 145 in about four months, and his blood pressure returned to normal. He also says that as his health improved, he developed more compassion for animals and the environment.
A coworker convinced Anthony to enter the contest after seeing that a police officer was a finalist in last year's contest. When PETA announced that Anthony won the prize, he says he and his wife celebrated at their favorite vegan restaurant, VegeNation.
"I owe it to my family, which includes my coworkers and friends on social media for convincing me I was doing the right thing by entering the contest," he says. "Without them, I would not have won."
Texas resident Dani Alexander won the female title for this year's Sexiest Vegan Next Door.
