“Survivor: Africa” contestant Kym Johnson has died at the age of 79, her co-star and current season winner boyfriend Ethan Zohn has revealed.
Zone, 50, Announce the news on Instagram Monday, July 29th.
“Rest in peace Kym Johnson. It was a pleasure to call you my friend and it was a pleasure to live with you at the last Tribal Council,” Zohn captioned a video highlighting his relationship with Johnson during their season of “Survivor.”
“I will always treasure that punch in your honor!” he added, referring to a moment beloved by fans of the reality series.
Tributes to Johnson quickly poured in on the Zone website.
“Kim J, rest in peace 🙏,” wrote Yam Yam Arocho, winner of season 44 of “Survivor.”
One fan described Johnson as an “underrated person,” and another thanked Zone for “this wonderful tribute.”
The cause of Johnson’s death is not yet known.
Johnson was a 56-year-old retired teacher when she began her journey on “Survivor: Africa” in 2001. She was a fan favorite during the season, only the third in the show’s long history, and was also the oldest woman to compete on the season.
Johnson was a fierce competitor, winning a total of seven challenges and two immunity necklaces, one of which she earned in the show’s final immunity challenge.
In order to earn her seat at the final Tribal Council, she bested Zohn and fellow contestant Lex van den Berg in a competition that required them to balance on a tree trunk while keeping one hand on the coveted immunity statue.
As the trio struggled to keep going, Johnson said she could imagine herself holding a Planter’s Punch cocktail in her hand instead of the immunity statue.
Johnson held out for over three hours, making history as the oldest person to win the challenge.
With this win, Johnson set another record, becoming the oldest woman to reach the final vote at Tribal Council, despite Zohn winning the title. Johnson returned to second place after the jury voted against her by a 5-2 vote.
The final vote also gave her a less attractive record, making her the first “Survivor” finalist to receive fewer than three votes from the jury.
In her final speech to tribal council, Johnson told the contestants, “You all made me feel important, without exception.”
“Each and every one of you has helped me be the best I can be, so I leave here like a big winner,” she added.
Johnson did not return to any future seasons of “Survivor,” although many fans hoped she would.
To date, she remains the oldest woman to compete on the competition show.
After participating in “Survivor,” the Oyster Bay, New York native became a coordinator for an indoor tennis club and volunteered to help the blind and deaf.
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