From the very beginning of our Search for the Ultimate Men’s Health Guy, the men on this list have impressed us with their personal stories of strength, perseverance, and success. They’ve outlasted the competition, proving not only their mental and physical chops, but their dedication to giving back to others, too. 

After careful deliberation, our judges have selected the top five finalists worthy of representing Men’s Health on the cover of our November issue. The guy who emerges victorious will be the second winner of the Search for the Ultimate Men’s Health Guy, which is presented by Kenneth Cole MANKIND Ultimate and Isopure. He'll be announced Monday, October 12, on Today on NBC.

Who will it be? 

Omari Grey

Omari Grey, 37, is a committed educator. A math teacher, fitness trainer, and basketball coach, Grey lives in Herndon, Va., with his wife and eight children. He hopes to use land given to his ancestors by former slave owners in 1865 to host programs for kids in Washington, D.C., which has some of the worst schools in the country. “The plan is to take kids out of their environment and teach them skills and creative thinking in a fun way, and to get kids back in touch with nature and using their hands,” says Grey.

Read more about Grey’s story: How an Angry Young Man Became an Ultimate Men’s Health Guy

Aydian Dowling

Aydian Dowling, a 28-year-old transgender man, founded BeefHeads Fitness, a YouTube channel geared toward transgender individuals who want to get fit and healthy. Dowling’s online made-to-order clothing company Point5cc provides free programs and services to transgender individuals. He also trains other transgender men in his hometown of Eugene, Ore., where he lives with his wife, Jenilee.

Read more about Dowling’s story:

Adam Wheeler

Adam Wheeler, of Colorado Springs, Colo., won the bronze medal in wrestling at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. He is currently a SWAT policeman with the Colorado Springs Police department. The 34-year-old father of two has received two medals of valor in the force. In 2014, he became a World Champion in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Read more about Wheeler’s story: This Olympic Medalist and SWAT Team Member Dreams Big—and Succeeds

Danny Farrar 

Danny Farrar, of Meyersville, Md., served 11 years in the U.S. Army and has survived post-traumatic stress disorder, homelessness, and a suicide attempt. Now 35, Farrar serves former soldiers as cofounder of both the fitness franchise SoldierFit and the nonprofit 22 Needs a Face, which works to combat the depression that drives 22 veterans a day to commit suicide.

Watch a video about Farrar’s story: He’s Breaking the Silence about a Dreadful Epidemic

Tim Boniface

Tim Boniface, 36, left a lucrative career in banking to work as a firefighter and paramedic after the events of September 11, which resulted in the deaths of two of his close friends. Boniface says the work he does helping people every day in Lexington, Ky., helps him sleep better at night. The leading cause of death among firefighters is cardiac arrest, and Boniface hopes to inspire his fellow firefighters to upgrade their fitness and health.

Read more about Boniface’s story: Why He Quit a Lucrative Banking Career to Become a Firefighter