Cedrek McFadden may have beenvoted out ofSurvivor 48just as the merge was starting, but rest assured, he was still leaving his mark at the jury house.
After being voted out in the second half of the split tribal council, Cedrek became the first member of the jury ofSurvivor 48,a role that fans have unofficially titled the ‘Mayor of Ponderosa’. It may not be the elected position aSurvivorplayer is hoping for while on the island, but Cedrek proved that after 48 seasons, there are still ways to add your personal touch to the role.
A few days after theSurvivor 48finale, Cedrek shared on a post on X and Bluesky about what he did to make each of the new Survivor 48 players recently voted out feel a little bit more comfortable in their first interactions outside of the game. Basically, he would wait for each player to arrive at Ponderosa. It started with Chrissy Sarnowsky, and it continued through the three finalists arriving at Ponderosa, as well.
McFadden also shared photos from the final Ponderosa arrival, finalists Eva Erickson, Joe Hunter, and winner Kyle Fraser. As new jury members were added, they would join Cedrek on the steps to greet the newest additions to their group.
Kyle, Joe, and Eva arrived at Ponderosa—just hours after the final tribal council. We had our winner, and the season was coming to a close.
— Cedrek McFadden, MD (@cedrekmd)May 26, 2025
After I had been voted out, I started a quiet tradition: sitting on the steps to welcome each person after they were voted out. From…pic.twitter.com/Zvs4m5I6Om
Cedrek would go on to call this a “simple act to show that, beyond the game, life continues- and so do the connections we make along the way.”
It seems that his fellow48castmates agree with his sentiments. Players like Chrissy, Star Toomey, and Mary Zheng have all mentioned in their exit interviews that the welcoming environment in Ponderosa was one of the highlights of their time on the show. OtherSurvivoralumni, such asSurvivor: Worlds Apartwinner Mike Holloway and two-time player Eliza Orlins, showed their support in the comments of Cedrek’s post as well.
As the first juror, the ‘Mayor of Ponderosa’ role is often credited with setting the tone for the jury house with how they plan to confront one another and the eventual finalists. WithSurvivor 48being filled with tense situations throughout the season, it is refreshing to learn about how one player made the effort to turn Ponderosa into a place of comfort. This is one new era addition I’d love to see continue for future seasons!
Survivorreturns this fall withSurvivor 49on CBS and Paramount+!
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