Survivor alum Keith Nale dies at 62; his TV legacy
For those of you who have watched the show for many years, you will know that it is almost impossible to forget about a guy like Keith. He had a huge personality and offered up so much humor in both of his appearances. He first took part in Survivor: San Juan del Sur, which was the second time the show adopted a Blood vs. Water theme. He played with his son Wes, and ended up making it all the way to the final four. He was known for being a challenge threat, and not so much for his strategic chops — his most iconic moment on the season was him saying “stick to the plan” at Tribal Council and blowing up what had been previously plotted out.
In spite of that gaffe, Keith stood a good chance of winning had he made it to the end of that season, and the firefighter was voted by America into Survivor Cambodia: Second Chance. In that season he once again made it far before being voted out at final five. The final six Tribal Council that season, where Kimmi eventually left the game, is well-known for being one of the most bizarre and chaotic ones in recent memory.
According to Entertainment Tonight, Keith passed away yesterday at the age of 62. Here is what Wes told the aforementioned outlet: “…He’d been battling cancer for the past few months and we found out about it in January.”
Survivor itself posted the following statement on Twitter ahead of tonight’s episode:
On behalf of the entire Survivor crew, we send our deepest condolences to the Nale family. Keith was a one-of-a-kind human. He brought endless joy and laughter to Survivor fans and to those of us who made the show with him. He was adored by so many and will be greatly missed.
The Survivor family is an incredibly tight-knit one, as there is such a select group of people who know what it is like to be out there. Also, remember that when you are on that beach, you have no technology or outside communication. You become very close to the people you are with.
Keith was loved by everyone, and our thoughts and condolences go out to his friends and loved ones during this difficult time.
(Photo: CBS.)