From the Highlands of Brazil to the beaches of Fiji, CBS has been bringing “Survivor” contestants to remote destinations around the world to take part in the ultimate game of survival for the last 25 years.
While many former contestants’ appearances on the Emmy-winning reality competition series marks their first – and only – international adventure, others have continued their globetrotting expeditions well after the cameras stopped rolling.
Most recently, a crew of “Survivor” alumni merged their love for adventure with their passion for charity as they set out on a mission trip to Honduras to build homes for the less fortunate.
Jonathan Young Builds the Ultimate ‘Survivor’ Charity Team
Among the crew that travelled to Central America to work alongside Love Honduras – a charity dedicated to providing food, shelter and toys to children and families in rural tribal communities in the region – included the likes of Jonathan Young (“Survivor 42”), Mike Turner (“Survivor 42”), Heidi Lagares-Greenblatt (“Survivor 44”) and Jake Latimer (“Survivor 49”).
The team of “Survivor” alum, seemingly assembled by Young – who is similarly set to return to the hit competition series next year for “Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans” – additionally included YouTuber Saucy Seth, “Squid Game: The Challenge” star Megan Schulz, model and streamer Elvis Simpson, and musician photographer David Niacaris.
“I’m so proud of this amazing team,” wrote Young in an Instagram post celebrating the crew’s progress earlier this week. “We are working about 12 hours a day and have built about four houses with @_love_honduras. A lot of rain but high spirits.”
Young, who emerged as a powerful physical threat and challenge beast on the cast of “Survivor 42,” has been active in his charitable endeavours since leaving the show.
CBSIn February, he travelled to Nicaragua to aid in the effort to build a home for a single mother and her three children in a local village, just months after he helped to establish a “feeding center” for communities living in the country’s Bosawas Jungle.
Young has long been vocal about his passion for using his platform for the greater good, and continues to inspire other “Survivor” alumni to tag along as he travels across Central America to provide aid.
‘Survivor 49’ Star Jake Latimer Joins Young’s Charitable Tribe
The most recent addition to Young’s troupe of charitable castaways was “Survivor 49” star Jake Latimer.
While Latimer’s run on the still-airing season was cut short during its third episode when he was medically evacuated following a potentially-fatal bite from a venomous snake, the freshly-minted first-time father didn’t let the experience dampen his wanderlust as he joined Young and crew on the mission trip earlier this month.
“There’s something wild about being out here, sweating, building, serving, laughing, crying,” wrote the former castaway on Instagram on Saturday (Nov. 15). “It feels like Survivor, but with a purpose way bigger than any competition. The same grit, teamwork, and heart it takes to survive out there is the same energy we brought into this mission. Except this time, instead of fighting for ourselves, we’re fighting for these families.”
Speaking specifically on partnering with other “Survivor” alumni like Young, Lagares-Greenblatt and Turner, Latimer added, “ I couldn’t have asked for a stronger, more selfless group of people. Every single person pushed through exhaustion, storms, and emotional moments to make sure these families got the homes they deserve.”
“We became a real tribe out here,” he continued. “The kind you don’t vote off…the kind you keep for life.”
