It’s wild to say that, after 49 seasons and 25 years, we are still seeing firsts on Survivor. And, with the CBS reality series becoming such a known quantity, fans sometimes take for granted the fact that these contestants are stranded in the wild. Unfortunately, contestants and viewers alike got a harsh dose of reality when Jake Latimer had a sudden medical emergency on Day 6 of the game, leading to his immediate medical evacuation.
Here’s everything to know about the reason why Jake left Survivor 49.
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Who is Jake Latimer from Survivor?
Jake Latimer came to Survivor 49 as a 36-year-old corrections officer from St. Albert, Alberta, Canada. His job and location, however, have been in flux, as he spent some time in Australia playing professional hockey, as well as performing in a male revue show. Notably, Jake wanted to play Survivor to give his father, who has glaucoma, one last thing to see before he goes permanently blind. However, that timing comes at the cost of another family milestone, as he entered the season knowing he would miss the birth of his child.
Related: Read our Survivor 49 preseason interview with Jake Latimer
Why did Jake leave Survivor 49?
Jake was taken out of the game due to a highly dangerous snake bite. On Day 6, while sitting at the shore, Jake cried out to his fellow tribemates that a snake had latched onto the bottom of his foot. After spying the creature and looking it up in the off-screen field guide available at every camp, they were able to deduce that the snake in question was a black-banded sea krait, a highly venomous animal.
Fearing the worst, production immediately tended to Jake. He was taken on a boat to Survivor‘s base camp, where he was greeted by the show’s medical team. The group jumped into action to check his vitals, giving him oxygen and fluids. Luckily, they determined that Jake had gotten a “dry bite,” meaning there was not any venom in his system, and his life was not in danger.
However, that did not automatically mean Jake could get back into the game, business as usual. As one of the show’s resident doctors, Dr. Barry, put it, given the lack of food and water, he did not feel comfortable putting him back in the Survivor environment. “There are too many uncontrolled variables there, Jake,” he said. “And we need to protect you.”
“Just for perspective,” host and executive producer Jeff Probst adds, “if you could right now, you’d want him to have nutrients. You’d want him to have some food. You’d want air conditioning. You’d want full-time care. There’s no way, Jake, even in the next 48 hours, we could put you out into such an unforgiving situation as Survivor.”
Related: Meet the Full Cast of Survivor 49
Where is Survivor‘s Jake Latimer today?
For those who were wondering what happened to Jake after his time on Survivor ended, a card that came up following this week’s Immunity Challenge gave a bit of a “where are they now” on him. Not only is he healthy, having made a full recovery, he also ended up making it home for the birth of his son. The text was accompanied with an adorable picture of Jake in the delivery room, holding his new child.