By EMS1 Staff
ORLANDO, Fla. — America’s top mustache belongs to a firefighter-EMT in Florida. Brian Sheets earned 22 percent of more than 500,000 votes to claim the title of the Robert Goulet Memorial Mustached American of the Year.
The firefighter, EMT and EMT instructor from the Orlando area beat out high profile candidates including governors, journalists, athletes, movie stars and city mayors.
Firefighter Sheets was presented the award at the American Mustache Institute’s annual ‘Stache Bash charity benefit on Saturday.
The charity benefit raised money for cancers that affect men, such as prostate cancer. The fundraiser worked through Movmber, an international charity that encourages men to grow mustaches.
“Winning is a great honor for me, as well as for all the firemen who have served under the influence of the mustache,” Firefighter Sheets told the American Mustache Institute.
“A man without a mustache — is he really a man? I believe not, considering the command presence and extraordinary power that comes with one. And this great honor tells me my beliefs are taking me in the right direction.”
Firefighter Sheets founded Firemen with Mustaches, which builds awareness about firefighter fatalities and seeks to raise funds for the families of fallen colleagues.
The Goulet Award is not a “best mustache” award, but recognizes the person who best-represents or contributes to the Mustached American community.