If you’re a Survivor fan, chances are you’re watching the show largely for the backstabbing, manipulation, and shocking blindsides that happen at Tribal Council. But this week’s episode featured a beautiful exchange so touching, it made the show’s usually stoic host shed a tear.
During Survivor’s fast-paced challenges, Jeff Probst is typically focused on narrating all the action and needling contestants who perform poorly. But in episode five of season 48, he connected deeply with an emotional moment that unfolded in the heat of the competition.
Contestant Eva Erickson, a 24-year-old from Rhode Island, shared on the season’s first episode that as a child she was diagnosed with autism. She said that doctors initially told her parents she’d never function “normally” and probably wouldn’t ever live independently. As you might have guessed, based on the fact that she’s currently competing for $1 million on a deserted island in Fiji, none of that’s turned out to be true — Eva is thriving in life as a PhD student at Brown University (and, so far, she’s thriving on Survivor as well).
She initially shared her diagnosis with only one other cast member: Joe Hunter, a 45-year-old fire captain who immediately acted as a father figure when he heard Eva’s story. She explained to Joe that she’s prone to “episodes” in which she can’t regulate her emotions, and she gave him instructions on how to best help her regain control in the event one of these episodes happened during the show.
That brings us to this week’s episode. Eva was in a clutch position at the end of the immunity challenge: If she could navigate a ball through a tricky maze, she would win the competition for her tribe — but with the competitors hot on her heels, she was just as close to losing it. The pressure mounted, leading Eva to frustration and tears. She eventually succeeded, creating a triumphant moment of victory, but once the game was over, the overstimulation of it all became too much, and Eva broke down.
As this all unfolded, Joe was looking on with careful concern. Now on a different tribe, he was technically not allowed to approach Eva as she struggled to calm herself down, but he shouted encouragement from nearby until Probst noticed what was happening and asked Joe if he’d like to give Eva a hug — an offer that was immediately (and strongly) accepted. Having been told exactly what Eva would need in a situation like this, Joe embraced her, encouraged her to breathe, held her hands for stability, and encouraged her until she was able to come back into her body and explain to the rest of the cast what had been happening.
You can watch this powerful moment right here:
Discussing the exchange afterward, Probst cried as he praised how Eva conducted herself in that tense moment.
“Eva, it takes so much courage to play Survivor for anybody. But for you to come out here knowing something like this might happen and then be brave enough to share your story — there is a young girl or boy just like you watching right now, going ‘Hey Mom, hey Dad…'” Probst said as he started to choke up. “Now you got me. I’m a parent too, and I do see it. Wow. This has never happened. But I see it too, and it’s why I love Survivor.”
In a post-show interview, Eva told PEOPLE how much it meant to see her story touch Probst.
“It was crazy seeing Jeff cry — I’d never seen that,” she said. “Seeing Jeff get so emotional about the situation and thinking about his own family and his kids, that was the moment when it hit me, that this is a moment that is going to be remembered. He’s seen so many people and been through so much through all of years of Survivor, and now seeing that this moment broke him, I was like, okay, this is bigger than I can imagine.”
Probst discussed the exchange further in an Instagram post that called it “one of the most powerful moments in Survivor history,” highlighting the power of watching two people competing against one another put the game aside to share a purely human experience that was all about taking care of one another.
“It’s the beauty of the Survivor format,” Probst said. “It’s why I remain still, to this day, 48 seasons later, so proud to be a part of this team.”
