Survivor Contestant Jake Latimer on His Shocking Medical Evacuation and the Fear of Being the First to Die on the Show
Jake Latimer, also known as the “Shoe Bandit” on Survivor season 49, had a season full of unexpected twists—both in the game and in reality. His journey started with the usual ups and downs like any player, but things took a dramatic turn when a venomous black and white banded sea snake, called a sea krait, bit him, resulting in an immediate medical evacuation that abruptly ended his run. But here’s where it gets intense: Latimer found himself questioning, “Am I actually going to be the first Survivor contestant to die?”
Latimer’s tribe, the Kele Tribe, hit a rough patch early on, losing two members after consecutive immunity challenges. Despite these setbacks, Jake had begun to establish himself as a strong competitor and a social player. However, the real danger came when nature intervened—his medical emergency making him only the 20th player in Survivor history to be removed for health reasons. This highlights just how physically demanding and risky this reality competition can be, beyond the social and strategic gameplay.
Ever wondered what a snake bite feels like for someone in the heat of such an intense challenge? Latimer shares that surprisingly, the bite itself didn’t hurt much initially. What many didn’t see was how challenging the living conditions were—each night on the beach, crabs crawled up their legs and pinched. So, at first, the bite felt almost like a crab pinch. But soon after, the pain intensified in his foot and leg, and the situation became truly uncomfortable. The experience changed how he feels about snakes, turning a former non-fear into a genuine dislike.
And the irony? The “Shoe Bandit” nickname is because he steals left shoes, yet he was bitten on his right foot. Latimer jokes that maybe it’s karma, but since it wasn’t on the left foot, he playfully suspects something else was at work.
Jake reveals what happened behind the scenes—after biting the sea krait, chaos erupted fast, something the cameras only captured after the fact. He spent many quiet moments on the beach with his feet in the water, mentally connecting with his loved ones to stay grounded during the harsh conditions. The actual moment of the bite triggered immediate panic, especially once he was told just how poisonous the snake was. This fear was compounded by thoughts of his unborn child and whether he might actually die there on the island, questioning if he might become the first Survivor contestant to lose their life in the game.
Watching the episode where his evacuation was shown was an emotional experience. Surrounded by friends at a watch party, Latimer saw the fear reflected in his own eyes and was reminded of how intensely traumatic the event was. It struck a deep emotional chord for him and others watching, highlighting the real human vulnerability behind the game’s competitive facade.
Getting medically evacuated rather than voted out is a tough pill to swallow. Latimer explains how he was leading his tribe alongside Sophi and had no votes against him, so to be removed for reasons completely out of his control was devastating. Yet, he praises the medical team and host Jeff Probst for their professionalism and support during such a scary time. A touching moment came when Jeff Probst held Jake’s hand in the hospital room, providing a calm and reassuring presence—something that reminded him of a parent comforting a child.
Latimer doesn’t shy away from showing his emotions and says he cried more than anyone else during the ordeal, reflecting just how scary and overwhelming it was. His biggest concern was simply to survive and get back home to meet his baby boy, which thankfully he did safely.
Looking back at his strategy before the evacuation, Jake shares that he and Sophi had committed to working together until the end. To ease suspicion, he formed a visible alliance with Alex Moore, even calling themselves number one. Behind the scenes, however, Jake and Sophi were quietly building their game plan, which included targeting other players like Jeremiah and hoping to form new bonds with others like Jawan and Matt. He acknowledges the unpredictability of Survivor but was confident in his physical game, noting his impressive performance in challenges that also made him a potential target after the merge.
While Sophi was his closest ally, Jake also values his friendship with Alex deeply, saying he would protect both and never break his trust with Sophi.
Motivated by his family, especially with a child on the way, Jake reflects that his time on Survivor was everything he dreamed of and more. Although he was forced out earlier than anyone expected due to this unprecedented medical emergency, he is eager for a second chance. If invited back, the Shoe Bandit would jump at the opportunity to return, fired up and ready to play again.
New episodes of Survivor season 49 air Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on CBS, with next-day streaming available on Paramount+. For more insight, check out The Hollywood Reporter's interview with host Jeff Probst on Jake Latimer’s medical evacuation.
