He was in a wheelchair and traveling with an infant and his toddler and zero support crew.
That man blew my mind.
Hobbies:Posting photos of my baby on Instagram and yoga retreats.
Timothy Kuratek/CBS (3)
Do you still watchSurvivor?I do.
What does survivor mean to you/your family?Survivoris my family.
My husband competed on season 19, and I thought he was cute when I saw him on TV.
Timothy Kuratek/CBS
And, now we have aSurvivorbaby.
Its kind of absurd, really.
I played three seasons when I was in my 20s and then processed my experiences for the last decade.
Robert Voets/CBS
I know what its like to go after a goal with everything I have.
I know in my bones how hard it is to be judged and found lacking.
I know the sting of betrayal, and I also know that miracles happen all the time.
Robert Voets/CBS
No matter what it looks like, there is a way through every block.
The game has changed.
Its faster, more complex, and people are bolder.
Timothy Kuratek/CBS
Im excited to get into this more dynamic arena and win a totally new game.
And, I know that I can connect with people in a completely different way as a mother.
Yul Kwon
Age:44
Hometown:Concord, Calif.
Current residence: Los Altos, Calif.
Robert Voets/CBS
I felt inspired by this back then, and continue to believe it today.
You mean the things I used to do before I had kids?
Pet peeves:People who don’t wash their hands after using the toilet.
Robert Voets/CBS
I’m a total germophobe.
Three words to describe you:Empathetic, introverted, and idealistic.
When did you first watchSurvivor?Borneo!
Timothy Kuratek/CBS
Do you still watchSurvivor?Yes.
What doesSurvivormean to you/your family?I owe my family toSurvivor.
It also gave me a lifelong aversion to eating coconuts.
Robert Voets/CBS
Now that I’m free of those constraints, I’m just gonna let it rip!
Three words to describe you:Natural, gritty, and resilient.
When did you first watchSurvivor?Senior year of high school, 2001.
Robert Voets/CBS
Do you still watchSurvivor?Yes!
It’s such a bright memory for us all.
I’m so grateful for all the fun that has come from being a part ofSurvivor.
Timothy Kuratek/CBS
My first go round I was 28 and newly single, I coveted the escape and the adventure ofSurvivor.
Since then, I got married and had three babies as fast as humanly possible.
My plan is to take this new season as a complete new and separate experience from the last!
Robert Voets/CBS
Tony Vlachos
Age:45
Hometown:Jersey City, N.J.
Current residence: Allendale, N.J. That is my only and most fun hobby.
Pet peeves:One-uppers, know-it-alls, laziness, entitlement, and passive aggressiveness.
Three words to describe you:Respectful, reliable, and responsible.
Robert Voets/CBS
When did you first watch Survivor?Season 1 (on and off throughout the years).
What is one way that playingSurvivorchanged your life?Financially!
After winning, it catapulted me to a higher tax bracket, where I consistently stayed there since!
Timothy Kuratek/CBS
Being a part of this unimaginable milestone of a season is HUGE!
Ive learned that my game-winning performance was similar to that of a one-trick pony.
There is no way I can perform the same tricks playing withSurvivorlegends and expect to get away with it.
Robert Voets/CBS
(Hence, my second time playing at 34.)
Fortunately for me, Im well aware that I will have to change the way that Im wired.
Michele Fitzgerald
Age:29
Hometown:Freehold, N.J.
Current residence: Hoboken, N.J.
Robert Voets/CBS
Hobbies:I love to travel and play board games.
Three words to describe you:Feisty, fun, and free-spirited.
When did you first watchSurvivor?I started watching season 1 at the age of 10.
Timothy Kuratek/CBS
Do you still watchSurvivor?Absolutely!
In my completely unbiased opinion, its the greatest TV show of all time.
What doesSurvivormean to you/your family?My family and Ihave always watchedSurvivortogether so it is pretty sentimental.
Robert Voets/CBS
I did not win by being the smartest or strongest; I won by being myself.
I think realizing that in my mid-20s was really pivotal in shaping how I handle challenges.
Winning my first season was surreal.
Robert Voets/CBS
Now, I get to return with winners that I admire…I am pinching myself.
Hobbies:Playing basketball, traveling, and playing with my niece and nephew.
Three words to describe you:Determined, inspirational, and loving.
Timothy Kuratek/CBS
When did you first watchSurvivor?Season 18 Survivor: Tocantins.
What doesSurvivormean to you/your family?To me, it is a decade-long dream turned into reality.
My family saw it as one of those crazy dreams of mine, and they supported it with curiosity.
Robert Voets/CBS
For that, Im super grateful.
What is one way that playingSurvivorchanged your life?It made me much busier.
I give more talks, travel more, and give back more than I had before.
Robert Voets/CBS
Before I made lots of custom furniture for Beve Unlimited and traveled a little for deliveries.
This will be yet another huge season season 40,Winners at War, the first all-winners season.
So Im just humbled, honored, and grateful to be out here again.
Timothy Kuratek/CBS
I wanted to leave something my little cousins and my niece and nephew could see and be proud of.
They have that, I did that.
This time I want to loosen up a bit and have some fun out there.
Robert Voets/CBS
Backstab a little bit, and talk even more trash.
Shoot at some big dogs, and pull some tricks out.
Maybe even do some things that are out of character.
Robert Voets/CBS
Lets see whos out here to really play the game.
If you never try, the answer is always no.
People who are not afraid of failure because they believe they can succeed inspire me.
Timothy Kuratek/CBS
Hobbies:Spending time with my family, CrossFit, golf, running, and biking.
Three words to describe you:Determined, competitive, and street smart.
When did you first watchSurvivor?Ive watchedSurvivorsince the beginning.
Robert Voets/CBS
Do you still watchSurvivor?Every Wednesday, my family sits down and watchesSurvivortogether.
There is NOTHING I cant accomplish.
I am honored and humbled to be chosen to play three times.
Robert Voets/CBS
Ive now played two completely different games, one being loyal and one being a flip flopper.
Boston Rob Mariano
Age:43
Hometown:Boston
Current residence: Pensacola, Fla.
When did you first watchSurvivor?From the beginning.
Timothy Kuratek/CBS
What doesSurvivormean to you/your family?I have my family because ofSurvivor!
What is one way that playingSurvivorchanged your life?I have my family because ofSurvivor!
This season is truly monumental and a celebration and Im so proud to be a part of it!
Robert Voets/CBS
How will you playSurvivordifferently this season than your previous seasons?Always got to adapt!
Sophie Georgina Clarke
Hometown: Willsboro, N.Y.
Current residence:Santa Monica, Calif.
Hobbies: Soccer, skiing, podcasts, reading, and walking.
Robert Voets/CBS
Pet peeves: Men who feign confusion about the difference between explaining and mansplaining.
Three words to describe you: Unclean, tenacious, and chameleon-like.
When did you first watchSurvivor?May 31, 2000.
Timothy Kuratek/CBS
I was 10 years old.
Do you still watchSurvivor?Religiously.
In a different order though.
Robert Voets/CBS
Inspiration in Life:My daughters.
Hobbies:Dadding, pickle ball, mountain biking, and watching TV.
Pet Peeves:Inefficiency, other know-it-alls, and inconsiderateness.
Robert Voets/CBS
Do You Still Watch SURVIVOR:Of course.
For which I will always be grateful.
3 Words to Describe You:VELVET…
Timothy Kuratek/CBS
He was the one who encouraged me to tryout.
He passed away two years ago: So, SURVIVOR will always be our game.
Now, I get to do it all again!
Robert Voets/CBS
Pet peeves:Whining, lying, and turkey poop!
Three words to describe you:Ben Russell Driebergen
When did you first watchSurvivor?The very first episode!
Do you still watchSurvivor?As a great man once said at tribal: Is the Pope a Catholic?
Robert Voets/CBS
-Ryan Ulrich
What doesSurvivormean to you/your family?Honestly its probably like a bunch of SURVIVOR families Wednesday nights.
We wake up Wednesday morning and first thing we say is Happy SURVIVOR Wednesday!
My son wears his buff to school.
Timothy Kuratek/CBS
Sweet Kelly and I get to watch SURVIVOR while the kiddos are popping in for challenges.
Its a day thats built around excitement and anticipation.
Our family loves it!
Robert Voets/CBS
What is One Way That Playing SURVIVOR Changed Your Life:More family time.
Its truly a team effort!
I am just a little gear in an amazing machine that we all know and love as SURVIVOR!
Robert Voets/CBS
That being said, when its time to hit the gas pedal, if you aint first youre last!
Natalie Anderson
Age:33
Hometown:Colombo, Sri Lanka
Current residence: Edgewater, N.J.
Hobbies:CrossFit, adventures, and eating tacos.
Timothy Kuratek/CBS
Pet peeves:Selfish people.
Three words to describe you:Strong, relentless, and adaptable.
When did you first watchSurvivor?Season 27:Blood vs. Water.
Robert Voets/CBS
To my family,Survivormeant pride in having a daughter that was strong, bold, and resilient.
It made me proud of my physical and mental strength.
It would be stupid for me to even try and start my game play ahead of time.
Robert Voets/CBS
Ethan Zohn
Hometown:Lexington, Mass.
Current residence: Hillsborough, N.H.
Hobbies:Inventing useless gadgets, chopping and stacking wood, and chasing cats with my laser.
Timothy Kuratek/CBS
Pet peeves:Weird bagel flavors.Its not a bagel unless its sesame, poppy, plain, or everything.
Three words to describe you:Compassionate, neurotic, and funny.
Im really, really funny.
Robert Voets/CBS
Do you still watchSurvivor?I wouldnt miss it for the world!
What is one way that playingSurvivorchanged your life?Oh, let me count the ways!
In the pinball machine of life, one thing can change everything about a persons life.Survivorwas that one thing.
Robert Voets/CBS
What happened next literally changed the trajectory of my life.
And get this, we actually had to survive!
Pet peeves:People who go through life with a sense of entitlement and complete lack of self-awareness.
Timothy Kuratek/CBS
Three words to describe you:Stubborn, determined, and driven.
When did you first watchSurvivor?I started watchingSurvivorin 2000 with my husband Brad.
Do you still watchSurvivor?Ummmmm, yes!
Robert Voets/CBS
Work, activities, and life in general is planned often around our Wednesday night family viewing!
What doesSurvivormean to you/your family?Survivoris something that is a shared experience for all of us.
It’s our time.
Robert Voets/CBS
Being given the chance to play a second time is huge in and of itself.
But for it to be the 40th!
The game has changed SO much since season 1, and has brought with it so many incredible players.
Timothy Kuratek/CBS
), so I don’t take it lightly.
How will you playSurvivordifferently this season than your previous seasons?My honest answer…I have no clue!
And hope that theSurvivor"Gods" are in my favor.
Robert Voets/CBS
Jeremy Collins
Age:41
Hometown:Cambridge, Mass.
Current residence: Foxboro, Mass.
I want my kids to grow up looking up to me and being proud to call me dad.
Robert Voets/CBS
Hobbies:Coaching my kids, working out, playing basketball, and fantasy football.
Pet peeves:Road rage, inconsiderate/selfish people, and people who talk to me when watching movies.
Three words to describe you:Easygoing, loving, and emotional.
Timothy Kuratek/CBS
When did you first watchSurvivor?Season 1, episode 1.
Do you still watchSurvivor?Every episode…I am a casual watcher now.
It used to consume me and I would take notes on every episode.
Robert Voets/CBS
When you miss the ones you love, you appreciate them more.
Financially it helped me put away for my children’s future.
I will look to add on to my season 31 game plan.
Robert Voets/CBS
With this broader pool I will continue with voting blocs and keep alliance paranoia on 100!
I want to take it all in.
I feel my last experience was a whirlwind and I forgot a lot of experiences.
Timothy Kuratek/CBS
This time I want to try and take some time to enjoy this last go round.
Sandra Diaz-Twine
Hometown:Stamford, Conn.
Current residence: Riverview, Fla.
Occupation:Case manager at law firm
Inspiration in life:My mother and maternal grandparents.
Robert Voets/CBS
Hobbies:Couponing
Pet peeves:People who cant park inside the lines.
Three words to describe you:Sassy, unapologetic, and loyal.
When did you first watchSurvivor?Season 1.
Robert Voets/CBS
Do you still watchSurvivor?Yup.
What doesSurvivormean to you/your family?Everything I have is because ofSurvivor.
What is one way that playingSurvivor changed your life?Im the only two-time winner.
Timothy Kuratek/CBS
Also, Jeff Probst.
Hobbies:Board games, poker, travel, and if I am being honest,Survivor.
Started a fantasy league with my family season 2 and havent missed an episode since.
Robert Voets/CBS
Do You Still Watch SURVIVOR:Always.
It may sound silly to some, butSurvivoris far more than just a television show for us.
Same values, ambitions, passions, and energy.
Robert Voets/CBS
It only can happen in your wildest dreams.
So many thousands ofSurvivorsuper-duper fans would do anything to be in my position.
Anyone who comes into this game believing Im not here to make friends is playing a losing game.
Robert Voets/CBS
Whats different this time is that some of the people I will be playing with already are friends.
This time around, I cant hide how big of a fan I am.
Amber Mariano
Age:40
Hometown:Beaver, Penn.
Robert Voets/CBS
Any free time we have is spent together as a family.
Do You Still Watch SURVIVOR:Yes.
Ive seen every season and now watch it with my family every week.
Robert Voets/CBS
Its a lot of fun!
Im so excited that my girls will not just hear about Mommy and Daddy being onSurvivor.
Its an honor to be a part of another epic season!
Robert Voets/CBS
Heck, its been 20 years since I played the first time on season 2.
Im 20 years older too.
I was the youngest in my tribe when I playedSurvivor: Australia.
Timothy Kuratek/CBS
Now, Im going to be one of the older people.
People see me in a whole new light.
Plus, being married to Boston Rob paints a HUGE target on my back.
Robert Voets/CBS
When I played the first two times, I didnt have that pressure.
But I also want to focus on enjoying the experience and showing my girls how strong their mom is!
Ill never give up and Ill show them to always go big and finish what you start.
And in the end, hopefully, win it again!
Nick Wilson
Hometown:Williamsburg, Ky.
Current residence: Williamsburg, Ky. Three words to describe you:Charming, cunning, and cheeky.
When did you first watchSurvivor?Season 1 finale.
Do you still watchSurvivor?Every Wednesday!
I am even considering starting aSurvivorpodcast.
What doesSurvivormean to you/your family?Survivorhas helped me through hard times.
For example, it was a great escape from the stresses of law school.
I bawled my eyes out.
It was a much-needed therapeutic experience.
My family has always watchedSurvivorand tried to watch it together when we could.
Because of that moment, we are still closer to this day.
What is one way that playingSurvivorchanged your life?It made me realize what is important in life.
I dont have to focus my career on making money.
I can focus my life on my family and my career on helping people.
It is a great honor.
Everyone has seen how brilliantly I playSurvivor.
I wont be able to hide behind bigger threats.
So this time, Im going to be even more aggressive.
In short, I am going to have as much fun as possible in the beginning.
This is my dream come true and I want to take it all in.
Then, I am going to TURN IT ON.
No player will be safe from the Kentucky Nick sneaky ninja assassin blindside!
This game is where legends are made!
