It has long been said that “good things come to those who wait.” For Fort Hamilton alumni Mike and Nick Fiorito, a dream seven years in the making finally came true when they were selected to participate in the 37th season of the hit CBS show, The Amazing Race. After years of unsuccessfully auditioning for the show, they were finally able to achieve a life-long goal and experience the adventure of a lifetime.
The popular TV show follows fourteen duos competing in a race around the globe, while navigating numerous intellectual, physical, and cultural challenges that teams must complete in order to move on. This season has taken teams to Hong Kong, Japan, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bulgaria. At each stop, the last duo to finish each round of the competition is eliminated. The winners of the race receive a prize of $1,000,000.
Of course, such a competitive show requires extensive preparation. Immediately after finding out that they had been chosen to compete in the race, Mike and Nick started training.
“We trained like it was the Olympics—mentally, physically, and emotionally. But honestly, nothing truly prepares you for the intensity of the race—it’s next level,” said Nick Fiorito.
Viewers would agree that each round of the race presents its own unique challenges. The brothers, along with the other contestants, had to perform tasks like learning a taiko drum routine while in Osaka, farming 25 pounds of rice in the fields of Bali, and skydiving in Dubai. Through it all, they had to deal with unexpected twists and turns—such as “U-Turns” and “Forks in the Road”—that are incorporated into the race and designed to bring out the competitive nature in the contestants. Through it all, Nick and Mike stayed positive and focused and always kept each other going.
Unfortunately for the Fiorito Brothers, their race came to an end in Bulgaria, where they were “U-Turned” by another team and tasked with doing a second challenge after they had already finished the first. After having already transported 150 kilograms of chopped wood in the intense heat, they were tasked with finding a small bracelet that was hidden within piles of hay. Those physical challenges proved to be difficult, especially in the blazing sun and with competitors breathing down their necks. After six hours of trying to accomplish the task of finding what would be the equivalent of a “needle in a haystack,” the brothers fell short and were eliminated from the race.
Though their Amazing Race story didn’t have a dream ending, the experience was one the brothers will never forget, and one for which they are extremely grateful.
“It tested our relationship like never before — and made it even stronger. We came in as brothers, but we left feeling more like teammates for life,” said Mike Fiorito.
Their appearance on the show provided a stage for them to showcase their talents, and they credit Fort Hamilton High School for giving them the skills to compete in such a difficult environment. The brothers, who were once members of our school’s football team, believe that the discipline, grit, and work ethic that were instilled in them have greatly helped them throughout their adult lives and especially in the race.
“We carry that Fort spirit with us everywhere,” said Nick Fiorito.
When they’re not racing across the world, Mike and Nick run a non-profit organization they co-founded in 2016 called Blankets of Hope, where students donate blankets and hand-written letters to people experiencing homelessness. Unsatisfied with their professional lives, the two left their entrepreneurial jobs to start this foundation. This turned out to be successful and eventually caught the attention of a top Forbes venture capitalist, Todd Chaffee whose mentorship and financial support helped transform another one of the Fioritos’ dreams—helping others and contributing in a significant way to their community—into their life’s mission. Almost a decade later, their organization has impacted over 320,000 lives and had a profound effect on those in need.
Whether it’s racing across the world or bringing relief to those who need it most, the Fioritos are the perfect example of Fort alumni doing amazing work, both at home and abroad. Throughout their time on The Amazing Race, they showed tremendous strength, dedication, resilience, and gratitude, and they proved, by their example, that even the most difficult challenges can lead to great fulfillment and success.
