Survivor Gamers’ Deaths After Showing on CBS Present

In 2000, the world of actuality tv modified endlessly when Survivor made it to the air. The primary season created some icons, akin to Richard Hatch and Sue Hawk, and the sample adopted. However in its 46 seasons, 24 years, and 697 totally different contestants, a number of (not seven) have sadly died since showing on the present.

Fortunately, there have by no means been any in-game deaths (though a couple of gamers have come shut!) however we nonetheless need to keep in mind those that have handed on. In earlier seasons of Survivor, the Closing Two or Three would keep in mind the castaways whose torches have been snuffed within the Rites of Passage. So right here’s our “Ceremony of Passage” devoted to the entire CBS present’s deaths.

Rudy was a fan-favorite from the very starting of Survivor, which is why he was referred to as again to play on All-Stars. To this present day, he nonetheless holds the document for the oldest particular person to ever play Survivor, taking part in his first season at 72 years previous and his second season at 75 years previous. That is fairly spectacular — many 75-year-olds can barely stroll not to mention play Survivor! And Rudy lived one other spectacular 19 years. He handed away at 91 years previous in 2019 from Alzheimer’s problems.

B.B. performed in Season 1, Borneo, like Rudy however was voted out at his tribe’s first tribal council. A lot of his tribe members have been youthful, and so they did not admire his “abrasive” angle. And B.B. even stated he did not thoughts going dwelling, so in a near-unanimous vote, he was despatched dwelling. However he is nonetheless a part of the Survivor legacy! He died at 77 years previous in 2013 from mind most cancers.

Season 5 aka Thailand is not thought of one of many present’s biggest seasons, however Clay was instrumental within the final result. He aligned with Brian Heidik, who then introduced him to the Closing Two, however in a 5-4 last vote, Clay was the season’s runner-up. At simply 66 years previous, Clay handed away in 2022 after a brief sickness. Simply months earlier, Clay’s spouse died of COVID-19 problems.

In Season 6, The Amazon, tribes have been divided by gender. Roger was the oldest member of the boys’ tribe however was voted out on the merge. One of the memorable voting confessionals got here with podcaster Rob Cesternino when he voted out Roger, fed up with Roger’s “imply previous man” habits singing Steam’s “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye.” However in October 2022, Roger handed away from Lewy Physique Dementia at 76 years previous.

Whereas the others who’ve handed away have been of their later years, Jenn died of breast most cancers at simply 37 years previous in January 2010. She competed only some years earlier in Survivor: Palau, the place she positioned fourth. Due to a tied vote, Jenn grew to become the primary participant to lose a Closing 4 fire-making problem. However that is not the one memorable factor about her sport. Her showmance with Gregg Carey was the speak of the season. She was sadly the primary Survivor participant to go away, and several other castaways have since spoken extremely of her.

Along with Jenn’s untimely demise, fellow Palau participant Angie Jakusz additionally handed away from most cancers. Tatted and pierced, fellow castaways judged Angie from the outset and picked her final within the schoolyard tribe choose. Nevertheless, she was capable of come again and jive with a number of gamers, however she was voted out in a double tribal council on Day 12. At 40 years previous, Angie died of a uncommon type of squamous cell colorectal most cancers in January 2021.

Regardless of her early exit from Survivor: China, Ashley was a memorable participant who got here into the sport with years of preventing coaching underneath her belt. An expert WWE fighter, she additionally appeared in a Playboy subject and later grew to become a radio DJ for 94.3 The Shark. Throughout her Survivor look, Ashley fell in poor health and was the second contestant despatched dwelling when she felt too in poor health to proceed the sport. Ashley died in Could 2019 at 39 years previous, allegedly by suicide though that was by no means absolutely confirmed.

Dan performed on Survivor: Gabon, however not for lengthy. He ended up on Exile Island early within the sport, and when he was swapped to the Kota tribe, they determined to vote him out simply in case he discovered an idol (he did not). He died of “unspecified circumstances” on New 12 months’s Eve at 40 years previous in his dwelling in 2016. Followers have speculated that he died of suicide, an overdose, or a coronary heart assault, however his reason for demise has by no means been revealed.

Dan Lembo was one of many older gamers to play Survivor, partaking in Survivor: Nicaragua, within the “older” tribe. He introduced his New Yorker power to the seashore and located a option to vibe together with his fellow gamers, making all of it the best way to the Closing 5. His Survivor efficiency was memorable and filled with emotion. He died at 75 years previous of progressive supranuclear palsy in September 2022.

Fairly the character, Ralph was a giant a part of the downfall of Russell Hantz in Survivor: Redemption Island after he discovered the hidden immunity idol. He typically spelled contestants’ names mistaken when voting them out and was voted out in ninth place after the merge and dropping the Redemption Island duel. He died in April 2022 of a coronary heart assault at 56 years previous.

Caleb Bankston joined the solid of Survivor: Blood vs. Water to play alongside his fiancé, Colton Cumbie, who’s one of the vital hated Survivor gamers of all time. Colton left the season early, however Caleb went into ninth place and served on the jury due to his different alliances. Sadly, Caleb died at simply 27 years previous in June 2014 due to a work-related accident by which he fell when a practice derailment occurred. He and Colton have been set to marry in October 2014.

Cliff got here into Survivor: Cagayan with 18 years within the NBA underneath his belt. On the Brawn tribe, Cliff was thought of a serious menace within the sport, so after a tribe swap gave some gamers the chance, they voted him out in a blindside. He died at 53 years previous in August 2020 after a journey with lymphoma.

One among Survivor‘s most memorable gamers from the “New College” period, Keith’s demise had a big impact on the Survivor group. He first performed on Survivor: San Juan Del Sur together with his son Wes, however folks gravitated in direction of Keith due to his authenticity and charisma, serving to him end in fourth place. The followers voted for him to play once more on Second Probability, the place he positioned fifth. He died in April 2023 at 62 years previous, three months after his household discovered he had most cancers.

Sunday took on a motherly position in Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X, and was in a position to make use of these relationships to get to seventh place, however her social technique was an excessive amount of of a menace. On the present, she mentioned her journey with surviving breast most cancers. However sadly, most cancers returned in 2020 within the type of esophageal and ovarian most cancers. She died a 12 months later in April 2021 at simply 50 years previous.

Could all former Survivor contestants who’ve died relaxation in energy as our condolences stick with their mates and households.

New episodes of Survivor air each Wednesday on CBS at 8 p.m. EST.