Jackye Clayton and Lauren McKinney may not have won The Amazing Race, but the duo of nurses conquered some significant personal challenges along the way.
During Season 37, fans witnessed an emotional moment when Clayton, 51, was tasked with climbing a daunting set of stairs at the Big Buddha in Hong Kong alongside her teammate McKinney, 61. Clayton revealed on the show that she had suffered a traumatic fall down a flight of stairs in the past, which required surgery and left her with a lingering fear of stairs.
"I think about it every time I see stairs," Clayton shared exclusively with Us Weekly in March after their elimination. "Even last week, I was at a basketball game, holding popcorn, and there was no railing. I thought, ‘Oh, let me do this.’ I wanted to call my sister and say, ‘Lauren, I took the stairs without holding on!’"
Clayton couldn’t help but feel "so proud" of herself for facing her fear head-on. She was also grateful that the show included her emotional moment in the episode, as she hoped it might resonate with others.
"I don’t know if everyone watching would see it as a big deal, but for me, it was huge. It was like someone jumping out of a plane or trying a trapeze," she said. "For me, that was the challenge. So, I’m proud of myself in the end."
When Clayton rewatched the episode and saw the aerial shot of the long staircase, she was still in awe that she had managed to climb up and down it. While a fear of stairs might not seem ideal for a competition like The Amazing Race, Clayton explained that she had prepared for it, as stairs had appeared in previous challenges.
"The first thing we had to do was run down the stairs," she joked. "And I was like, ‘Oh good, we got the stairs out of the way.’"
McKinney, on the other hand, beamed with pride for her sister’s accomplishment. She saw Clayton’s determination as an inspiration for others who might be struggling with their own fears.
"I never felt like she let me down. All I could think was, ‘Wow, someone watching this might be dealing with a fear of their own but hasn’t spoken up because they’re afraid of being ridiculed or judged,’" McKinney told Us. "Maybe this will help them realize they’re not alone. Everyone goes through something, sometimes quietly. But if you reach out, you can find support and help others in return."
In addition to the stair challenge, McKinney also tackled a solo task during the season’s first roadblock: climbing the Cheung Chau Bun Festival’s bamboo tower. While heights weren’t her forte, she faced the challenge without hesitation.
"We’ve watched every season of The Amazing Race. We’d joke about who would do what if certain challenges came up, and I’d always say I’d handle the heights," McKinney recalled. "But in reality, I’m fine with mud, swimming, pushing carts—anything except heights. So, this was out of my comfort zone."
After seeing Clayton’s emotional struggle with the stairs, McKinney realized they were falling behind in the competition. Determined to keep them in the race, she pushed herself to complete the tower climb.
"She had just conquered the stairs, so I had to conquer the tower," McKinney said. "There was no fear in me. I just went for it, knowing I had to get it done."
Once she finished the challenge, McKinney felt an overwhelming sense of "joy" and "pride" for overcoming something she never thought she could do.
"There’s this incredible feeling when you conquer something that seemed impossible," she said. "I knew my sister was waiting for me at the bottom, cheering me on the whole time. It was an amazing moment."
The Amazing Race airs on CBS Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. ET and is available for streaming on Paramount+ the following day.
