Survivor Star Survives Venomous Snake Bite, Airlifted to Safety

In October 2025, Survivor contestant Jake Latimer experienced a terrifying encounter while filming the show in Fiji. Latimer, a 36-year-old from the United States, was in the water when a venomous banded sea krait snake latched onto the bottom of his foot. At first, he thought he had been grabbed by a crab, but upon opening his eyes, he saw the snake's wide-open mouth attached to his foot.

Latimer immediately alerted his fellow castaway, Alex Moore, and the Survivor medical team sprang into action. The situation quickly became "pretty chaotic" as people rushed to assist Latimer, who was airlifted to a hospital in Brisbane, Australia. Though initially fearing for his life, Latimer later learned that the bite was a "dry bite" without any venom.

Despite the harrowing experience, Latimer now considers the incident a "blessing in disguise." The evacuation allowed him to return home to the United States just under 48 hours before the birth of his first child, Jax Paul Kenneth Latimer. Latimer, who had previously been told he might not be able to have children, expressed immense gratitude for the opportunity to witness his son's birth, saying it was "worth a million dollars."

While Latimer was disappointed to have his Survivor journey cut short, he acknowledged that the show's medical team provided excellent care and that the decision to pull him from the game was the right call. Ultimately, Latimer's ordeal led to the joyous arrival of his newborn son, a moment he would not have wanted to miss.