Survivor’s Colby Donaldson Admits He Almost Backed Out of Season 50
Kyle Fraser has bounced back after his early exit from Survivor 50.
Indeed, the season 48 winner offered an update on his health after viewers watched him tear his Achilles tendon, promoting an emotional exit during the premiere on Feb. 25.
“I got surgery that week,” Kyle said during an Feb. 26 interview alongside fellow eliminated contestant Jenna Lewis-Dougherty on CBS Mornings. “I'm running [as of] three weeks ago so we're still recovering. So, we're on the up and up.”
“It’s tough, because two weeks earlier, I won,” he added. “The whole world got to see me win a million dollars and then to tear your Achilles two weeks later—and know that I get pulled from the game only four days in, it was heartbreaking.”
Kyle put his teamwork on display during the immunity challenge as he assisted his tribe members up a structure before suffering his injury. Though his tribe came out victorious, Jeff Probst and Dr. Joe made the call to medically evacuate him. A decision that brought him to tears.
“I loved playing with my tribe,” Kyle said on CBS Mornings. “I was optimistic at first, but the first night when I was in my hotel room, I cried like I haven't cried before. I missed out on the experiences.”
“If you look back on that first episode it was just so many cool things that happened in the game,” he added. “And I was excited to experience that myself. I've had tons of other experiences after, but it was a tough one to swallow.”
What’s more? Kyle had to make sure that he went unnoticed by Survivor fans so he wouldn’t spoil the show.
Robert Voets/CBS via Getty Images
“I had to come back early from the whole cast,” he said. “I had to come back and get surgery immediately cause when you tear your Achilles you can't start recovering until they tie it back together essentially. I had to hide basically in my apartment because I couldn’t let people see me basically in my scooter and my boot while everyone else was on the island.”
However, being home brought an upside for the lawyer—who married Maggie Turner in 2024—as he was there to help his wife prep for the arrival of their first baby.
“I got tons of quality time,” he said. “I had just gotten married, so my wife was happy. Daughter is coming in May!”
And though he didn’t get to see the rest of season 50—which features fellow all-stars Mike White, Cirie Fields, and Rizo Velovic, through—Kyle shared the strategy he believes would have made him a winner once more.
“I won my season by building relationships, playing with people getting to know them first,” he shared. “I was like, 'I'm going to go out there and I’m going to do exactly what I know how to do, get to know people.’ And if they like me, we can play the game together and that's how I was able to navigate.”
“I think it was working out for me while I was out there,” he shared. “Because it was so many things to learn about my tribemates because it was such an eclectic group and we got along and I was at the heart of that so I'm proud of that.”
For more on the cast of Survivor 50, keep reading…
Robert Voets/CBS
Mike White
Season 37 (DAVID VS. GOLIATH)
Jeffrey Neira/CBS
Cirie Fields
Seasons 12 (PANAMA-EXILE ISLAND), 16 (MICRONESIA – FANS VS. FAVORITES), 20 (HEROES VS. VILLAINS), 34 (GAME CHANGERS)
Robert Voets/CBS
Ozzy Lusth
Seasons 13 (COOK ISLANDS), 16 (MICRONESIA – FANS VS. FAVORITES), 23 (SOUTH PACIFIC), 34 (GAME CHANGERS)
Robert Voets/CBS
Benjamin "Coach" Wade
Seasons 18 (TOCANTINS – THE BRAZILIAN HIGHLANDS), 20 (HEROES VS. VILLAINS), 23 (SOUTH PACIFIC)
Monty Brinton/CBS
Stephanie Lagrossa Kendrick
Seasons 10 (PALAU), 11 (GUATEMALA), 20 (HEROES VS. VILLAINS)
Monty Brinton/CBS
Jenna Lewis-Dougherty
Seasons 1 (BORNEO), 8 (ALL-STARS)
Monty Brinton/CBS
Colby Donaldson
Seasons 2 (THE AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK), 8 (ALL-STARS), 20 (HEROES VS. VILLAINS)
Robert Voets/CBS
Tiffany Ervin
Season 46
Robert Voets/CBS
Charlie Davis
Season 46
Robert Voets/CBS
Q Burdette
Season 46
Robert Voets/CBS
Emily Flippen
Season 45
Robert Voets/CBS
Dee Valladares
Season 45 Winner
Robert Voets/CBS
Jonathan Young
Season 42
Robert Voets/CBS
Christian Hubicki
Season 37 (DAVID VS. GOLIATH)
Robert Voets/CBS
Angelina Keeley
Season 37 (DAVID VS. GOLIATH)
Robert Voets/CBS via Getty Images
Kyle Fraser
Season 48 Winner
Jeffrey Neira/CBS
Aubry Bracco
Seasons 32 (KAÔH RONG – BRAINS VS. BRAWN VS. BEAUTY), 34 (GAME CHANGERS), 38 (EDGE OF EXTINCTION)
CBS
Chrissy Hofbeck
Season 35 (HEROES VS. HEALERS VS. HUSTLERS)
CBS
Rick Devens
Season 38 (EDGE OF EXTINCTION)
CBS/Paramount Networks
Kamilla Karthigesu
Season 48
CBS/Paramount Networks
Joseph Hunter
Season 48
Robert Voets/CBS
Genevieve Mushaluk
Season 47
Robert Voets/CBS
Savannah Louie
Survivor 49
Robert Voets/CBS
Rizo Velovic
Survivor 49
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