Tori Deal decided to show love to a good cause by returning some of her winnings from The Challenge: Battle of the Eras.
The Ride or Dies winner competed in Season 40 as part of Era 3, along with teammates Devin Walker, Cory Wharton, Nia Moore, Jordan Wiseley, and others.
As the season progressed, Tori and Jordan became two of the more formidable players. They advanced to TJ Lavin’s final and were favorites to win it.
Along the way, they won multiple daily challenges, thanks to their array of skills in various competitions.
In Episode 16, viewers saw the competitors come in a first-time-ever event called Fire Plunge. It involved them hotwiring a convertible to get it to start and drive off a cliff.
As the car dove off the cliff, the competitor seated inside was yanked out thanks to a harness they wore. They then dropped into the water and completed a 500-meter swim to shore to reach the finish line—the man and woman to complete this the fastest won.
After everyone had competed, TJ revealed the winners were Tori and Jordan. Because Burger King sponsored the event, they each received $5,000 in prize money, and the cast received a feast from the fast food restaurant.
Tori reveals how she returned her Burger King prize money
In a recent Instagram post, Tori asked fans if they remembered her winning that $5,000 from Burger King on The Challenge. She indicated she was “extremely grateful” but couldn’t keep the prize.
“I did find it funny that the only vegan left in the game won money off an industry that I don’t personally connect with. (Burger King does have plant based burgers though and that’s super cool!!),” she wrote in her caption.
Tori said she decided the “best thing to do with the money would be to give it right back to the animal community.”
In her Instagram post, Tori said she decided to sponsor a fundraiser for the Community Cat Club of South Jersey to help them own a headquarters. She told fans she’d match all donations up to $5,000, which was her Burger King prize money.
She also shared that individuals donated over $1,000 within 24 hours of her setting up the fundraiser campaign.
Community Cat Club indicates it started in October 2020 and has since helped thousands of cats. However, it is “quickly outgrowing the current space” it is using.
They aim to create a forever home for their cause, including a caretakers’ residence, kitten nursery, adoption lounge, and more. The home would also allow for hosting adoption events, workshops, and community outreach events.
Tori is a team member of CCC’s fundraising campaign on Give Me Butter. As of this writing, she has raised $1,738 from 75 supporters.
Fans praised Tori for supporting a generous cause
Tori’s Instagram post about fundraising received over 16,000 likes and 240-plus comments. Many individuals praised the Challenge star for her generous decision to donate her prize money to a cause.
“This is absolutely incredible – what a cool thing to do!” a fan commented on her post.
Another commenter told Tori, “I have followed you from your very first season! Your journey & growth are inspirational!”
Others told her, “I love you we need more people like you,” and “Since dirty 30 I’ve been rocking with tori and this is a BIG reason why, so kind and generous.”
Tori received some criticism in the past due to her veganism. During a Challenge final, fans took issue with her not having to drink the disgusting smoothies that other castmates had to down before they could advance past a particular checkpoint.
Instead, Tori’s teammate, Devin, could drink her drinks to fulfill the requirement. As Monsters and Critics reported, Tori later addressed the cheating claims, indicating it was part of her contract that she couldn’t participate in challenges that went against her veganism.
That smoothie controversy occurred during the Ride or Dies final, which Tori and Devin won. Even after winning, they generously shared some of their prize money with each of the other finalist teams.
The Challenge: Battle of the Eras airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on MTV. The Challenge: All Stars Rivals premieres Wednesday, January 29 at 8/7c on MTV.
Episodes of The Challenge are now streaming on Paramount+. Try it FREE!
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