It’s a Survivor first that will have fans reaching for the Kleenex.
Longtime host Jeff Probst broke down in tears amid an extremely emotional moment during the reality competition series’ March 26 episode, during which contestant Eva Erickson shared her autism diagnosis after overcoming difficulties in completing the Immunity Challenge.
“I’m ready to tell my story to everybody,” began Eva, who had only divulged her diagnosis to fellow player Joe Hunter at that point. “I have autism. I was diagnosed when I was very, very young. Doctors told my parents I would never live independently, that I would never hold a job, that at most I could marry someone else with autism.”
Noting how her parents “did not give up,” Eva explained, “They put me through so many different treatments to help me get all the support that I need, and I was able to then enter school and be mainstream. So, I’ve never viewed my autism as a roadblock to success.”
