Apologies to Noah Galloway. We spoiled the surprise.

On Sunday Sgt. Noah Galloway of Alabaster, one of three finalists in Men's Health magazine's Ultimate Men's Health Guy Search contest, hopped on a flight to New York to learn if he would grace the fitness magazine's cover.

During his layover in Charlotte, he got the big news.

"I got a voicemail from a friend who saw the cover at a Kentucky truck stop and congratulated me," Galloway said. "Then the text messages started coming in. I was stunned."

Galloway may have been shocked but for those who have been following his journey, his victory was no surprise. Conquering obstacles and achieving victory is just what he does.

Galloway served in the Army as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 and returned for a second tour in 2005. It was during that tour when Galloway's Humvee hit a tripwire, detonating a roadside bomb. The blast claimed an arm and a leg.

But Galloway's a born fighter.

He battled through depression and apathy with exercise, inventing his own workout routines since he was unable to train using traditional methods. Ankle weights strapped to his arm strengthened his upper body. His electronic leg helped build lower body strength.

The stronger his body became, so did his spirit.

The newest edition of Men's Health, featuring Noah Galloway of Alabaster, is hitting some newsstands early, including airports in Newark, N.J. (photo courtesy of Adena Andrews)

His story propelled him to the top of Men's Health's online contest rankings, but Galloway said that only counted for 20 percent of the judge's decision. The finalists met with judges before returning to New York Monday. The cover will be revealed officially on NBC's Today Tuesday at 8 a.m. CT.

"Birmingham has been part of the voting and so supportive from the start," Galloway said. "Even though I didn't know I was going to win I was determined to give back for what they've done for me."

Galloway has established the No Excuses Charitable Fund, which focuses on reducing childhood obesity. The fund is currently assisting YMCA of Greater Birmingham, helping to support after-school wellness programs. You can donate to the fund here.

For nearly a decade, Galloway has continued to push himself beyond limitations. He does the same for his clients as a personal trainer, and now he's helping to keep Birmingham youth healthy too.

An IED couldn't stop him. Nothing can.

With that determination, Galloway was the only choice for Men's Health's cover.

Nah, it was no surprise at all.