Every 'Survivor' Player Who Has Been Medically Removed from the Game

(From L to R) Jonathan Penner, Caleb Reynolds, and Bruce Perreault

One thing has become abundantly clear through 46 seasons and 23 years of Survivor: The game is real. Any accusations of players faking living out in the elements, building shelters, and foraging for food get promptly thrown out the window when you see the number of players that were medically evacuated (or "medevaced") from the show. From injuries accrued during challenges to life-threatening illnesses, we've seen plenty of medical maladies over two decades of the reality series.

Here is every Survivor player who has ever been medically evacuated.

Related: Everything to Know About Survivor 46

List of Survivor medevacs

Michael Skupin (season 2)

Survivor's first medical evacuation was arguably its most famous, even all these years later. Seen as the leader of the Kucha tribe, Michael Skupin was one of the castaways of the second season thriving the most in the Australian Outback, memorably successfully hunting a pig for his fellow tribe members. But that was all overshadowed on Day 18. Tending to the camp's fire, Michael breathed in too much smoke, causing him to collapse in the blaze. His hands were severely burned, with the gnarly injuries apparent as he jumped in the nearby river, wincing from pain. Survivor fans watched the fourth wall shatter as cast and crew alike stepped in to help him. He was quickly taken away by the medical staff for treatment, making him the first player to be removed from the game without being voted out.

Bruce Kanegai (season 12)

It took ten seasons before the next Survivor medevac happened. In the middle game of Survivor: Panama, Bruce Kanegai had been experiencing uncomfortable stomach pains. It turned out the art teacher and karate master had not been able to use the bathroom since a reward trip to a local village over a week prior. Wracked with unimaginable pain one night, he requested an examination from the medical staff. They determined his severe constipation was something that required outside treatment, and removed him on Day 25.

Jonathan Penner (season 16)

Survivor: Micronesia saw ten "Favorite" past players return to compete against ten new castaways in the "Fans." Jonathan Penner, who was most well-known for his flipping on multiple allies in Cook Islands, had a bit of a rough go in the beginning of the season, but made it to the swap. Unfortunately, during the first challenge after the swap, Jonathan punctured his knee. After monitoring the injury for several days, the medical team determined on Day 15 that there was a large chance of severe infection in his knee if left untreated. And so Jonathan was pulled, as the alum reacted to the news in tears.

James Clement (season 16)

Fans vs. Favorites was the first season where multiple medevacs occurred. A back-to-back fan-favorite player, James Clement was one of the biggest camp workhorses in Survivor history. Unfortunately, that work ethic came back to bite him when he cut his finger open during the postmerge. On Day 31, the medical team examined his finger and, like Jonathan, decided to pull him for fear of further infection spreading to his joints.

Joe Dowdle (season 18)

One of the quieter members of his thinning Jalapao tribe, Joe Dowdle entered the merge down in numbers, as well as one working knee. The medical team looked at him after the first individual Immunity Challenge, and determined that there was an infection in his leg that, without treatment, could spread to his bones and blood, which would result in amputation or even death. Naturally, that led to Joe being removed on Day 20.

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Mike Borassi (season 19)

Survivor: Samoa's oldest cast member, chef Mike Borassi wanted to prove he was still a "mean motor scooter" to his tribe. Unfortunately, the nature of the intense (and now banned) physical challenge known as "Schmergen Brawl" proved to be too much for him. After taking several hard hits he was stumbling around by the end of it. The medical team checked him out right there, and saw his blood pressure dangerously fluctuate. Saying it was too dangerous to keep him in the game further, they pulled him on Day 5.

Russell Swan (season 19)

Samoa wasn't done with medevacs after Mike. Russell Swan was voted the leader of his tribe on the first day. He took that role seriously, trying to be the inspiration for the group as well as the camp workhorse. Unfortunately, that left Russell in an exhausted and dehydrated state by the challenge on Day 15. In the scariest medical situation since Michael Skupin, Russell began to pass out while in the middle of the challenge. Jeff Probst stopped the proceedings as a result, immediately calling medical in. Russell was slipping in and out of consciousness, with some saying after the fact that it looked like he was dying right there and then. The medical team saw his blood pressure drop was even worse than Mike's earlier in the season, and removed him from the game.

Kourtney Moon (season 24)

The (so far) only woman to be medevaced on Survivor is also one of the earliest removals in the show's history. During the first challenge of Survivor: One World on Day 3, the castaways would begin by jumping 25 feet into a net below. Unfortunately for Kourtney Moon, she landed incorrectly on the net, hurting her wrist in the process. Though she tried to keep going in the challenge, she was visibly in pain, even sinking to her knees at one point. Jeff stopped the challenge for medical to check on Kourtney. They determined she may have broken her wrist from the fall, and chose to pull her to get her an X-ray. The rest of the challenge was then suspended, one of the few times in the show's history.

Colton Cumbie (season 24)

Through the premerge of One World, Colton Cumbie was regarded as one of the biggest stars of the season. The superfan had caused conflict with numerous people on the season, but also ruled the strategy with an iron fist and an idol in his pocket. But it all came crashing down for the power player on Day 15. Colton woke up in the middle of the night complaining about pain on his right side. Thinking he was dehydrated, he walked out of camp to get water, only for one of his fellow castaways to find him curled up on the jungle floor. The medical team was called in, and they diagnosed Colton with acute appendicitis. As a result, he was immediately pulled and sent into surgery for an appendectomy.

Shamar Thomas (season 26)

Survivor brought back the "Fans vs. Favorites" format for Caramoan. And one of the biggest personalities was Shamar Thomas, who was causing conflict from the get-go due to various arguments with his fellow fans and his lack of work ethic. Shamar even debated quitting at one point, but was encouraged not to by his alliance. On Day 10, he complained that some sand had gotten into his eye, though his tribe wrote it off as another complaint from the veteran. But as the day went on, his condition worsened. Medical was brought in and determined that Shamar had scratched his cornea, and needed to be pulled for further examination and treatment.

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Erik Reichenbach (season 26)

Caramoan, fittingly, saw both a Fan and a Favorite get evacuated. Erik Reichenbach had gone from Fan to Favorite, a returnee who infamously was duped into giving up his Immunity Necklace ten seasons earlier in one of the most famous moments in Survivor history. Playing a much quieter game this time around, Erik once again made it to the Final Five. Unfortunately, the Survivor gods determined that's as far as he'll ever go. After Tribal Council on Day 36, Erik began feeling dizzy, and collapsed on the way back. The doctors assessed that his body had taken so much punishment throughout the season that he was verging on a starvation state. As a result, they gave him an IV, but also pulled him from the competition.

Terry Dietz (season 31)

This is a first in Survivor history, as Terry Dietz left the game not because of his own medical condition, but somebody else's. After nearly making it to the finals on season 12, Terry returned nearly ten years later to compete for his second chance on Cambodia. But that all came crashing down on Night 13. Jeff visited Terry's camp to let him know his son had been hospitalized, and that both his wife and the doctor had requested he come home. Terry was subsequently pulled from the game to be with his family. Terry later revealed that his son had an enlarged heart, and had received a successful heart transplant.

Caleb Reynolds (season 32)

Known as one of the most brutal Survivor seasons ever, Kaôh Rōng has an astounding three medevacs in it. The most notable one came on Day 9. Caleb Reynolds was a standout during his season of Big Brother, and hoped to bring his reality TV experience to the island. But, despite his tribe being on a winning streak, it all came crashing down on Day 9. An exhausting challenge had the castaways digging in the blistering Cambodian heat for hours. Shortly after finishing, three particular people collapsed, being treated for heat stroke and exhaustion. But the worst, by far, was Caleb. After a harrowing scene where everyone in the crew pitched in to treat the castaways, the medical team saw that his temperature had spiked to over 110 degrees, and that he was on the verge of expiration. He was immediately pulled from the game, in one of the biggest medevacs in the show's history.

Neal Gottlieb (season 32)

Though everyone recovered from the heat, the injuries kept racking up in Kaôh Rōng. During the merge of the season, Jeff and production had seen the injuries that the castaways were accumulating. As a result, he and the medical team stopped by camp to assess everyone. During that visit, they looked at ice cream maker Neal Gottlieb, who had amassed multiple nasty wounds on his back and legs. Determining he had multiple staph infections, and fearing his condition worsen without medication and treatment, Neal was suddenly pulled from the game on Day 19.

Related: Survivor Host Jeff Probst Chooses His Favorite Memory From the Show

Joe Del Campo (season 32)

The final Kaôh Rōng medevac came during the penultimate episode on Day 34. One of the oldest castaways to ever play Survivor, Joe Del Campo had won a reward trip to a spa. While there, he gorged excessively, and felt fueled to make a run to the end of the game. Unfortunately, the next day, he began to experience pain in his bladder. Fearing a possible infection, the medical team administered a treatment and monitored him over the day. When his condition failed to improve, they chose to remove him.

Pat Cusack (season 37)

Afte the hat trick of medevacs in season 32, it would be five seasons before Survivor would seen another one. Though regarded as one of the show's best seasons, the opening of David vs. Goliath was a rough one, as the cast was consistently hit with rough weather. Pat Cusack and the David tribe lost the first challenge, meaning they'd have to face the vote. But before they could even get to Tribal Council, on the boat ride back to camp, the rain and high winds caused the tribe's transport to crash severely against the waves. Pat was thrown around, injuring his back in the process. The boat touched down at the nearest beach, where the medical team determined his back injury was too severe for Pat to continue. He was removed on Day 3, without ever having cast a vote.

Jackson Fox (season 42)

it would then be another five seasons from Pat until medevacs hit the "new era" of Survivor. Jackson Fox seemed to start Survivor 42 off strong, spending the first night of the game telling his tribe about his transition. Unfortunately, that would be Jackson's only night in the game. When Jeff talked with him the next morning, Jackson revealed he had been taking lithium as medication prior to coming out to play, which he had not disclosed to production until shortly before the start of the season. Though he had attempted to wean himself off of it, he was already feeling the withdrawal symptoms in the game. Fearing for his safety and the potential of serious health risks, production chose to pull Jackson on Day 2.

Bruce Perreault (season 44)

Bruce Perreault's medevac in Survivor 44 is the earliest in the show's history, an injury incurred in the literal first few steps of the game. Mere seconds into the marooning challenge, Bruce hit his head on a wooden structure, gashing it open. After bleeding profusely, he sank to his knees at one point, prompting proceedings pause. Medical determined in the moment that he was fine to continue, and business proceeded as usual. But it was a different story that night, as Bruce began to feel extreme headaches and lethargy. He was pulled from the game on Night 1, after playing only 12 hours, and was later diagnosed with a concussion. Luckily for Bruce, he was given a second chance to play the very next season, where he made it all the way to eighth place.

Randen Montalvo (season 46)

The latest Survivor medevac is also one of its most out-of-nowhere. Randen Montalvo felt completely fine when he went to sleep on Night 6, only to wake up on Day 7 feeling anything but. His entire right arm felt numb, and he was unable to grip anything with his hand. Randen was initially assessed and determined to have a pinched nerve. During the challenge, though, he began to feel more discomfort in his neck. Further examination brought in the possibility of a bulging disk, which would require surgery. As a result, Randen was removed on Day 7. He has since revealed that, though the MRI proved clean, he underwent treatment for multiple weeks to be able to use his hand again, and has made a complete recovery.

Next, check out photos, bios, and interviews with the full cast of Survivor 46.