Survivor’s premise is simple: a group of castaways living in a harsh environment while trying to survive the elements and each other. Every few days, one contestant is voted off until only one remains to claim the million dollar grand prize. It is this premise that helped spawn the household phrase ‘The tribe has spoken.’ But in ten years of Survivor, six contestants have left the game without their tribes speaking; they essentially voted themselves off the island.
Who are these six Survivor quitters, and what were the circumstances that led to them voluntarily withdrawing from the game and giving up their chances at one million dollars? Find out below:
Osten Taylor, Survivor: Pearl Islands
Osten Taylor, the 27 year-old equity trade manager from Boston made television history as the first person to ever quit Survivor. Taylor had unquestionably had a difficult time in Panama: he sold all his clothes on day one in order to help his tribe get supplies, he almost drowned during a challenge, he was battling several infections and feared getting pneumonia, and he was afraid of the island wildlife.
When he wanted to quit during the second episode, his tribe mate Tijuana Bradley convinced him to stay in the game. But after a surprise twist in which his Morgan Tribe was forced to vote off one of its own so that a former castaway could rejoin the game, Osten volunteered to go home. Host Jeff Probst agreed to let him go without holding an official vote.
Jenna Morasca, Survivor: All-Stars
Jenna Morasca, a Pennsylvania swimsuit model, made Survivor history as the youngest winner when she was crowned the champion of Survivor: The Amazon in 2003. A year later, she became the first woman to officially quit the game when she returned for Survivor: All-Stars.
Morasca’s reasons for quitting were much different from Osten Taylor’s. During Survivor: The Amazon, she shared with viewers her mother’s lengthy battle with cancer. During the All-Star season, Morasca, an only child, regretted leaving her mother again and realized that she needed to spend time with her. She rushed home to her mother’s bed side; her mother passed away a few days later.
Susan Hawk, Survivor: All-Stars
Survivor: Borneo loudmouth Sue Hawk captivated America back in 2000 as the “redneck truck driver” who gave what is still arguably the harshest Final Tribal Council speech in Survivor history. When she returned for the All-Star season, Sue provided another memorable moment when she unexpectedly quit the game.
Hawk had become angered when, during a previous Immunity Challenge, her often-naked Survivor: Borneo tribe mate Richard Hatch (the show’s first winner) had rubbed himself against her, an incident that she claimed “humiliated” and “dehumanized” her. In the day following the incident, Hawk said that her mind had left the game 24 hours ago and she shockingly quit at the next challenge after unleashing her fury on Probst.
Janu Tornell, Survivor: Palau
When Janu Tornell, the 39 year-old Las Vegas showgirl quit Survivor: Palau, she became the first person to ever quit the game and still serve as a member of the jury.
Tornell had been injured during a violent physical challenge by opponent Angie Jakusz, who accidentally poked her in the eye while trying to splash her. The incident left her weak and unable to contribute to the tribe for several days. Then, when Janu became the first contestant ever to banished to Exile Island, she found fulfillment in learning to build a fire and survive on her own. Satisfied with her Survivor experience and realizing that she didn’t have the strength to endure the entire 39-day period, Janu agreed to lay down her torch so that Stephenie Lagrossa, the woman who would have otherwise been voted off, could stay in the game.
Ian Rosenberger, Survivor: Palau
Ian Rosenberger, the 23 year-old dolphin trainer from Key Largo, Florida, became the first person to ever give up in the game right before the Final Tribal Council. Although it is sometimes debated whether or not he officially "quit" the game, he essentially did so by engineering a deal that led to his elimination from the competition.
Rosenberger was a member of the dominant Koror Tribe that easily sailed to the merge by winning every single Immunity Challenge. Although he made it to the Final Three with allies Tom Westman and Katie Gallagher, Rosenberger’s ethics in the game had been questioned by both of them. He also hurt Katie’s feelings by picking Tom to go on a Reward getaway after he promised Katie that he would choose her. Realizing that he could lose his friendship with Tom and Katie, Ian decided to give up his place in the game so that they could advance to the Final Two and he could win back their respect. Ian’s decision came as a shock considering that he had just spent 12 hours standing on a buoy in order to fight for Immunity. When Ian stepped down, Tom won the Final Immunity Challenge, and an impromptu, unofficial Tribal Council was held in the middle of the ocean.
Kathleen Sleckman, Survivor: Micronesia
Forty-five year-old golf course concessions vendor Kathy Sleckman had what was arguably the strangest and most unexpected withdraw from the game.
Although she had applied to the show for several years before being accepted, Sleckman began questioning her decision to participate when she realized how difficult the show truly was. After a fierce rainstorm that lasted for hours, Sleckman was emotionally drained and tried to draw on her husband and daughter’s energy for strength. She broke down, claiming that she couldn’t “feel” her family and told her fellow tribe mates that she wanted to get on a boat and go home. Host Jeff Probst arrived at the camp to talk to Kathy, and she quit the game after realizing that it was the best decision to make.
In conclusion, these six Survivor quitters had six very different reasons for leaving the game. Tune in to Survivor: Nicaragua beginning Wednesday nights on CBS in the fall of 2010 to see if any more castaways will be added to this list of quitters.
Steven Fife - I am a fourth-year university student from Ontario, who has always had an interest in writing both fiction and non-fiction. I have written ...
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