Survivor is known for its high-stakes competition, where contestants are pushed to their physical and mental limits. The show’s extreme challenges, harsh environments, and survival elements can lead to thrilling moments of victory — but at times, the risks become all too real.
Contestants have faced everything from severe dehydration to life-threatening injuries, and in some instances, the situation was so dire that it nearly cost them their lives.
Despite having a medical team on standby, there have been moments when Survivor’s intensity crossed a dangerous line. Here are three contestants who came dangerously close to dying during the game, all while Jeff Probst oversaw the action.
3. Russell Swan – Survivor: Samoa
Russell Swan’s medical evacuation during Survivor: Samoa remains one of the scariest and most intense moments in the show’s history. He was the leader of his tribe and decided to participate in a blindfolded reward challenge. However, things quickly took a dangerous turn when Russell passed out while working on the puzzle. His tribe members were unaware of the severity of the situation and continued to yell at him to keep moving.
It wasn’t until host Jeff Probst stopped the challenge and intervened that the gravity of the situation became clear. His blood pressure had dropped so low that medics warned that if they attempted to stand him up, he would collapse again. At one point, his heart rate plummeted significantly, and he blacked out.
His evacuation was necessary for his survival, and the moment highlighted how dangerous the conditions on Survivor could become.
2. Caleb Reynolds – Survivor: Kaôh Rōngi
In Survivor: Kaôh Rōng, Caleb Reynolds’ medical emergency left Jeff Probst shaken and terrified. During a brutal reward challenge, contestants were required to dig for bags of balls in the scorching heat. As the temperature soared, three contestants, including Caleb, suffered from heatstroke. While the two were revived, Caleb’s condition deteriorated rapidly, and he became unresponsive.
His heart rate dropped to dangerously low levels, and he was medically evacuated from the game. Despite recovering later on, this incident served as a stark reminder of how the heat and physical demands of the game can quickly spiral out of control.
1. Michael Skupin – Survivor: The Australian Outback
Michael Skupin’s life-threatening injury during Survivor: The Australian Outback marked one of the earliest and most shocking medical evacuations in the show’s history. While tending to a fire, he accidentally inhaled smoke, passed out, and fell directly into the flames. When he regained consciousness, he found himself severely burned, with his hands and arms covered in blisters.
Skupin’s injuries were so severe that he had to be medically evacuated from the game. His situation could have easily turned fatal, and this marked the first-ever medical evacuation in Survivor history.
The severity of his burns raised questions about the risks involved with fire-related challenges and the overall safety protocols in place.
You can watch all the episodes of Survivor on Hulu.
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