Just two months shy of his 21st birthday, a Kibler man is prepping for what he calls “the adventure of a lifetime” as he prepares to become a contestant on the most successful reality television show of all time “Survivor”
Construction worker and volunteer firefighter Evan Collins said he “never through in a million years” he would be selected for the show when he submitted his audition video last year but will have a million reasons to try and “outwut, outplayand outlast” the rest of the cast when he travels to an undisclosed location in the spring.
The winner of the show gets a $1,000,000 prize as the ultimate “Survivor”.
“When I got the call, they told me that thousands and thousands of people submit tapes every year,” said Collins, who works for Blue Resource Construction Company. “For someone who has never flown on an airplane or travel to anywhere other than Arkansas, Oklahoma or Kansas this is pretty exciting stuff.”
The show, which has been a staple for the CBS network since 2000, pits several contestants divided into tribes in an isolated location, where they must provide food, water, fire, and shelter for themselves.
The contestants compete in challenges for rewards and immunity from elimination. The contestants are progressively eliminated from the game as they are voted out by their fellow contestants, until only one remains and is given the title of “Sole Survivor” and is awarded the grand prize of $1,000,000.
“I know where we are going but I am not able to reveal the location of the show,” said Evans. “I just know that at the end of April or beginning of May that I have to go to Phoenix for some pre-show publicity. I don’t know if I get to come home after that or if they are just going to load us up and take us to the location.”
Western Arkansas is no stranger to the producers of “Survivor” as Van Buren’s Natalie White won the competition in the 19th season in 2009. A member of the “Foa Foa” tribe, White won the final vote 7-2 over runner-up Russell Hantz of Dayton, Texas.
“I wasn’t even aware until the “Survivor” people told me that there had been a winner from Van Buren,’ said Evans. “I’m still just trying to take it all in right now.”
In addition to the construction work and his participation as a firefighter with the Crawford County District 7 Fire Department, Evans has worked event security in the area in the past, specifically with a professional wrestling company. A 2014 graduate of Van Buren High School and a self-described student of the “College of Hard Knocks”, Evans says he is “very excited” by the opportunity.
“It’s an all-expense paid deal, so I’m not going to be out any money,” said Evans. “I get to travel to an exotic location and have a chance to win $1,000,000. So, I’m pretty pumped.”
Dennis W. McCaslin
Dennis McCaslin has been a longtime news and sports reporter for several media outlets in the Fort Smith area. He has also been a well known radio personality and play-by-play announcer for several years prior to joining InsideFortSmith.Com. He is the voice of the ArklahomaSports High School Game of the Week. E-mail: [email protected]
