He Won ‘Survivor’ — and Deserved It for These Reasons

The latest winner of TV’s “Survivor” is a person even non-fans will want to celebrate. Ben Driebergen, an ex-Marine, was crowned winner of the 35th season of the show, which tests survival and mental skills, on Wednesday night.

Driebergen, 34, was open about his experiences with the United States Marines and the struggles he faced during his time spent overseas in Iraq. “I was a company honor man out of boot camp and school, and loved what I did,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. “Certain things happen. You lose friends. The Marine Corps was a good experience, but it was also a bad experience.”

Married with two children, Driebergen said on “Survivor” it was his family that gave his life meaning — and helped him through the negative effects of his time at war.

“Being a good dad and husband,” he said in his pre-show Q & A, was his real claim to fame.

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Being a Marine is what helped him win the million-dollar prize offered by the show, Driebergen believed. “Because I have survived and overcome so many situations and met so many different people with different personalities, my social game is on point and my leadership skills have been tried, tested and proven,” he said, according to Hollywood Life.

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After winning this year’s test of skills, Dreibergen was surprised on stage by three friends with whom he’d served in the military.

“To have my buddies coming out like that? Seeing them all bearded and ‘dad-bodied’ like me? It was like seeing my brothers all over again. We lost some good friends out there, and we had to rely on each other,” he told The Hollywood Reporter about the emotional moment. “Those guys are my brothers for life. I hadn’t seen them for 12 or however many years — and it was like we had never left. It was an emotional moment for me. I’m sure it was an emotional moment for them. I know they’re proud of me. It was crazy. Really.”

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Though Driebergen’s victory is one many fans are celebrating, there has been controversy about the finale of “Survivor” this year.

The third person to be chosen for the final three was decided by a fire-making challenge, something the show used previously only in the case of a tie. “In case you’re wondering, that final four twist is not a one-off. That is a part of the show,” said host Jeff Probst of the new addition to the show. “So you can expect to see it again next season.”

It was that fire-making challenge that propelled Driebergen into the final three. He had previously been a strong contender in the game and found three different “immunity” idols, which kept him from being voted off the island three times.

“Education is a big thing. I didn’t get to go to college.”

Though his victory is still being debated among fans, Driebergen already has plans for his million-dollar prize.

He told Entertainment Tonight about his intentions for the money: “I’m going to save it. I’m going to figure out how to save it and make it work for us — my kids’ college. Education is a big thing. I didn’t get to go to college, so if we can better our lives and my children’s [lives], that’s what I’m going to do.”

(photo credit, homepage and article images by “Survivor,” CBS)