An Interview with Tyrie from ‘Race to Survive: New Zealand’

RACE TO SURVIVE: NEW ZEALAND -- Season:2 -- Pictured: Tyrie Mann Merrill -- (Photo by: Patrik Giardino/USA Network)

After ten incredible weeks of watching nine teams be whittled down to three on Race to Survive: New Zealand on USA Network, we finally have a winner of this year’s competition in hand; Ethan and Tyrie. Who pushed hard from beginning to end to get their hands on the final crate, and we had the distinct honor of sitting down with Tyrie, to discuss his time in New Zealand to close out our coverage of this year’s journey. 
 
John Betancourt: Well, I will go ahead and start by asking the $500,000 question, how's it feel to be the winner of Race to Survive: New Zealand?
 
Tyrie: It feels good, man, you know, like I said beforehand, you know, my family's proud. You know, it's pretty cool. So just waiting for it, it hasn't really hit me all yet. I probably won't even celebrate until I see it in my bank account, you know. But it feels good, you know? It feels good to be home and to continue to tell stories to my people. It's awesome. 
 
John Betancourt: So, I definitely want to dive deep into your win since runtimes can shorten some of that majesty, and really learn what was going through your head when you touched that crate. 
 
Tyrie: Yeah, you know, when we touched that crate, I don't know. I have a problem with feeling gratitude. So, I didn't really feel like anything like immediate, you know, it was just kind of like, that's it. We're done, you know. But I was smiling, you know, I was happy. and I felt good. You know, about everything Ethan and I accomplished as individuals, not just the race, but, you know, things we accomplished between his father and myself and my past, you know, things like that. So, we had those deep conversations amongst each other. And that was more of winning, you know, life than $500,000 in a way. So, it was really cool. 
 
John Betancourt: Now, you mentioned that it hasn't sunk in for you yet, and that there wasn’t really a sense of gratitude in that exact moment. So, what were you feeling? 
 
Tyrie: We were just pumped up. I was just so happy to be there. I was so happy to be a part of New Zealand at the time, and, you know, and be welcome there the entire time. We were just pumped up. We love doing all that stuff. We love sleeping in the dirt, you know. So, it just kind of naturally progressed very well, and we felt pretty good out there. 
 
John Betancourt: Now, one question I have to ask that I know everybody wants to know, is… for the entire race, you two were just unstoppable. Because you two were either chasing the leaders or being the leaders, but at the same time, you guys made it look so easy. How on earth did you make this win look so easy? 
 
Tyrie: I think that's experience, just life experience. You know, Ethan and I, we grew up. And adversity, is kind of like the glue to our friendship, too. So, you know, we work very well together and our experiences, you know, just being like, we have starved, we have not slept, we work plenty. You know, there's nothing different than what they're doing on that show that we don't do for work, except for the food is better. (Laughs) Yes, I think experience was huge. You know, there's some things you're blind to, your own blindness, and out there, you kind of saw them do some stuff that’s kind of like they just don't know, you know, like Corry and Oliver having that fishing pole, I would have done some damage with that thing, but they didn’t know how to fish, you know, simple as that.
 
John Betancourt: So, forty days, six races, grueling stuff behind that. What would you say was the toughest moment for you out there? 
 
Tyrie:  Toughest experience was dealing with the interviews, dealing with, you know, me, Ethan, had our own conversations saying, you know, “it's okay for us to kind of let loose and put ourselves out there.” That's what we agreed on. And so, we did it together. I think that was the most foreign thing for us, you know, all that other stuff we enjoy, you know, pooping in the woods and all that. So yeah, I think just the entertainment side of everything was so new to us. And we were just trying of get a feel for everything, you know, read who we're working for, also our competitors. 
 
John Betancourt: Now I think doing something this tough teaches us a lot about ourselves, and I’m curious what you learned about yourself that you didn’t know before? 
 
Tyrie: You don't want to be chased by me in the woods. I know that. (Laughter from Tyrie and John)
 
John Betancourt: Oh yeah, we all learned that. You guys catch up quick. 
 
Tyrie: I think the biggest thing you know for me out there that I felt connection with was, like, my spirituality, you know, and I've always done that. I've always talked to my family, and I've always been a part of it, but embracing it in front of a bunch of strangers and, you know, and then Ethan just being all about it too, you know, not that he's never been against it or anything, you know, but it was really cool just for that, and that was surprising to me, and, and it's kind of like one of those things where I grew up, I had a lot of insecurities about who I was, you know, just because of how I was talked to and certain things like that. 
 
But it wasn't like scarring or nothing, but it's just things that I have to deal with, right? And I think being there and embracing my Native American culture and all that, that was huge. And that made me feel, I was like, “Wow. You are capable of this.” And, you know, whatever people want to say to at this point, whatever, like… it is, what it is. And you grew up this way, this is who you are, you know. So, I think recognizing -- being even more independent and even more self-aware of myself, this is how it grew me. I think.
 
John Betancourt: Now to follow up on that a bit, now that you have the win under your belt and you had that awakening out there, what’s changed for you now that you’re back?
 
Tyrie: You know, life… so coming back, right? This is my first summer home since I was 18. So, I've been in the military and then fire and I've been traveling the world and doing all these other things. So, you know me, the newest thing to me, actually has nothing to do with the race, to be honest with you, it's just me coming home and spending that time with my family that I've missed out on for so long, and with my friends, going to the lake and just having a beer with them, like normal people stuff, you know? I've been missing on so much of that, and that's the biggest change just coming home and being home and being with my people and doing my, you know, my tree service, Low Stump. So, yeah, that's, that's huge.
 
John Betancourt: Now out of curiosity, what's next for you? Because, I mean, obviously it's, you know, it's life changing, money hands down. What are you planning on doing with your life next, now that you had a chance to get this in your hands?
 
Tyrie: Yeah, I'm just gonna stick to the plan, you know, I'm going to stick to the plan. And the goal is just profit. I want assets. I want I want to chase the entrepreneur stuff and, and whatever else comes down. I have no idea what to expect. You know, I don't really say no to opportunity. So, if something else were to come down the line, you know, it has to make sense for me. And I can make my own schedule. So, I'm pretty open to just about anything, but it's got to be worth the adventure, you know. So, who knows? Who knows? I don't know where I'm going to be next year, even two years down the road, let alone five. So, I know it’ll be good places, though. 
 
John Betancourt: Are you planning on sticking with smoke jumping? 
 
Tyrie: I think I’m going to retire from jumping. I think I'm done with fire, just in general, you know, with just how much they disrespect us in how they pay us. I'm not a fan of -- it's just for how much hazard and stuff we do. I'm tired of working for the government and just getting shit on, to be honest, and it's just at that point, you know. And again, I have my niece here. Finally, she was born in January, so it's just nice to finally be home and be a part of that. And that's what I've missed the most. So gotta take care of up here (Tyrie points to his brain). You know?
 
John Betancourt: I agree with you 100% on that, and I was shocked to learn through the show what pay looks like for a smoke jumper. Now, we’ve talked a lot about your spiritual journey, the win and really… you’re in the limelight now and people are indeed looking up to you. What do you hope they take away from your journey? 
 
Tyrie: You know, I hope audience can just take away the fact that, you know, I'm proud of myself and Ethan, for being -- we were on TV and we did all this stuff, sure, but you know, the number one thing I'm proud of both of us is we stuck to our guns, and we are who we are, you know, we never compromised ourselves. We never acted like we were someone else we weren't, you know. So, I hope people can see that and see how genuine we really are and just take that for what it is, and be yourself, and learn from all the things you do. And guys like Ethan and I, you know, again, we had our own past, and we were both very scared young boys at a time, and we conquered that, and we conquered other things on our path. And now we're still these, these smoke jumpers, and sure, we're in this cool community of dangerous, hazardous jobs, but we still cry. 
 
And it was cool to kind of put that out there, you know, kind of the message we were just sending, you know, all that, I just hope they see it, they enjoy it, and they understand it for who we are, and it's okay. You know, a big thing Ethan, I, we hit on is just men's mental health, you know, now that’s women’s too. But you know, we can only speak for men, because we are men, right? So, you know, that's something very dear, because you know him and I, we both, we have several friends that have like, you know, suicide, and me being the military too, you know, a lot of things like that. So that was, it was a lot. It was a lot. So, I hope they take that for what it is. And, you know, I hope some reservation kids can see that, you know, I left and came back, and you can always, always come back home, whether you like it or not, whether it's 20 years or whatever. You know. You can change your life and for the better.
 
John Betancourt: Last question I have for you today, you mentioned there’s a lot that you loved about being there, what will you miss the most about the race? 
 
Tyrie: The suck. I think just the same thing I'm going to miss in fire, you know, all those type of things where it's like, super shitty, and you hear Ethan talking about on the show, you know, that's where we thrive. And me, personally, I've always been in that environment, just from when I left home, you know. So, I know I can thrive when everyone else is not doing too hot. And I just like that. I don't know what it is, but I've always been that way, you know. So, I miss the suck, to be honest with you, but I missed the suck during fire season, too. And you know, lot of people don't believe stuff from like that when people say it, but it's just who I am.
 
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity. 

---