If there’s one thing we know about Survivor, it’s that Jeff Probst and the production wants players to PLAY! So when something happens that leads to the point of the Survivor medical team requiring a player to exit the game for their own health and safety, you know it is absolutely imperative for that castaway to leave the game, no matter how hard you were rooting for them to win.
Over the years, we’ve seen everything from infections to life-threatening injuries take place on our screens and every time, it leaves fans and players heartbroken for the players sent away for treatment, forced to leave a game they love. And while, thankfully, evacuations don’t happen every season, it’s hard to forget the ones that had immense impacts on the other players, as well as those viewing at home.
So let’s take a look back at the last 50 seasons to remind ourselves of just how many times the Survivor medical team had some of the scariest situations on their hands
Michael Skupin (Survivor: The Australian Outback)
On Day 17 of Survivor: The Australian Outback, everyone was horrified when Michael Skupin, tending to the fire, inhaled too much smoke and accidentally passed out into the fire, severely burning his hands. He immediately came to and ran into the river to manage the pain, but was quickly airlifted out of camp—for the first time in the show’s history—in order to receive proper treatment for third-degree burns.
Russell Swan (Survivor: Samoa)
In the middle of a challenge on Day 15 in Survivor: Samoa, everyone was confused why Russell Swan was leaning on the table during the blindfolded team maze puzzle. But it turned out that his heart rate had severely lowered due to dehydration and he was falling in-and-out of consciousness during the challenge until Jeff finally stepped in and had medics look at him. The team determined they didn’t feel comfortable keeping him in the game based on his current stats.
Terry Dietz (Survivor: Cambodia)
In the middle of the night on Day 13 of Survivor: Cambodia, Jeff arrived to grab Terry Dietz from camp to inform him that his wife called from back home with the news that his son, Danny, had been hospitalized and it was bad enough that both she and the doctor advised him to come home. It wasn’t even a question and he hopped on the boat to leave the game and return home where he learned that his son required a heart transplant. Thankfully, he received the care he needed and the episode ended with a follow-up letting everyone at home know how he was doing.
Caleb Reynolds (Survivor: Kaoh Rong)
On Day 9 in Survivor: Kaoh Rong, Big Brother alum and physical powerhouse Caleb Reynolds led his Beauty tribe to a second-place victory during one of the most visibly excruciating challenges in Survivor history. Almost everyone was ready to pass out from the intense heat and exertion of the challenge, but it was Caleb who suffered the worst of it, struggling from such severe heatstroke that he required the most urgent care from the medical team over his fellow competitors in the only situation in history that Jeff called, “everybody on the crew is essential personnel.” Caleb was airlifted from the challenge where he was rushed straight to a hospital and spent five days in the ICU following his removal.
Jake Latimer (Survivor 49)
While sitting on the cursed Kele beach in Survivor 49, Jake Latimer was surprised to feel a prick on his foot and called his tribe mates over to show where something poked him. Turned out to be the bite of a highly venomous sea krait that resulted in his immediate evacuation to base camp where the medical team and Jeff monitored him. While it thankfully turned out to be a “dry bite” (non-venomous), the situation still required too much monitoring to let him back in the game and Jake was officially removed on Day 6.
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