Tina Wesson

Tina Marie Wesson is the winner of. She later competed on and.

She is remembered most for being the first female Sole Survivor.

The Australian Outback
Tina Wesson currently works as a private duty C.N.A. nurse while also working as a full-time mom. Formerly, she worked as a community education director, flight attendant, substitute teacher and a swimming instructor. Wesson obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in therapeutic recreation from the University of Tennessee in 1983. An avid athlete, she is most proud of having completed the Dublin, Ireland Marathon, placed first in the Tennessee State Racquetball Tournament and placed first in her age division in her hometown mini-triathlon, all in the same year (1998). Her quest in life continues to be to "live the life less ordinary." Wesson describes herself as happy, content, adventurous, outgoing, and very much in love. Her favorite hobbies are racquetball, paddleball, running, swimming, and motorcycling. Her favorite television show is Rosie, while her favorite feature films are Out of Africa and Shadowlands. She prefers classic, contemporary Christian, and pop rock music, citing Match Box 20 as her favorite band. While rooting for the University of Tennessee Volunteers, she's always game for a round of Balderdash. Her perfect day consists of eating a good breakfast followed by a ride on her motorcycle to the mountains with her husband and her best friend. After a hike, she'd play racquetball, take a shower, have dinner, see a movie while eating a big bag of popcorn and then head home to bed. She's an early riser. Born and raised in Knoxville, Tennessee, Wesson currently resides there with her husband, Dale, and her two children, Katie and Taylor. She is a member of the Outstanding Young Women of America and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Her birth date is December 26.

Blood vs Water
Name (Age): Tina Wesson (52)

Tribe Designation: Galang

Relationship to Significant Castaway: Katie’s Mother

Previous Season: Survivor: Australia – winner; Survivor: All Stars – non-jury, 1st out

Current Residence: Robbinsville, N.C.

Occupation: Motivational Speaker

Why Did You Want to Return to Survivor and Play with Your Loved One? Survivor gets in your blood. It is a thrill and an honor and a quest to get to play! Then to be able to share the experience with my daughter who happens to also be my best friend, what a gift!

Survivor: The Australian Outback
As part of the Ogakor tribe, Wesson was not targeted in the beginning of the game, seeming to mesh well with all the contestants and was not seen as a physical liability, despite losing the Day 6 Immunity Challenge for Ogakor.

Wesson proved to be a strategic player when she managed to convince allies Keith Famie and Colby Donaldson to force a tie between Mitchell Olson (who was aligned with Amber Brkich and Jerri Manthey) and Famie, whereby Olson would be voted off due to his previous vote at the Day 12 Tribal Council. She eventually made it to the merge, where her strategic prowess was believed to be the reason of the ex-Ogakors subsequent success over the ex-Kuchas by systematically eliminating them, while having a perfect timing to eliminate two of their own at the same time, in that case, Jerri Manthey and Amber Brkich.

After Brkich's departure, Wesson, Donaldson, and Famie took control and eliminated the remaining two Kuchas, Rodger Bingham and then Elisabeth Filarski, at the next two Tribal Councils. After the Final 3 immunity challenge, Donaldson continued his winning streak and chose to eliminate the unpopular Famie instead of Wesson, which cost him the win (which many fans believe that he could have won if he had chosen Famie instead).

Wesson became the Sole Survivor in a 4-3 vote, in which she gained the votes of Famie, Filarski, Manthey, and Alicia Calaway.

Voting History
In The Killing Fields, the vote ended with a 3-3 tie between Keith and Mitchell, forcing a revote. Tina did not change her vote at the revote.

In The Merge, the vote ended with a 5-5 tie between Jeff and Colby, forcing a revote. Tina did not change her vote at the revote.

Survivor: All-Stars
"saboga"

- It's our game now, get off our playing field!

As part of the Saboga tribe who lost immunity in the first episode, Tina, a previous winner, was immediately targeted. She was chosen to be eliminated over Survivor: Africa winner Ethan Zohn, as he was needed for strength in challenges. Tribemate Jenna Lewis, who showed disdain for the possibility of a former winner winning again, and Jerri Manthey, who had conflicts with Wesson in their first season orchestrated Tina's elimination. With the very first votes against her, Tina was voted out of Survivor: All-Stars in the first episode, by a 4-2 vote.

Post-Survivor

 * Tina wrote an inspirational book entitled, "Outlive, Outlaugh, Outlove".


 * In 2001, Tina also graced the cover of the July–August issue of Racquetball magazine.

Trivia

 * Tina is the first winner to not get a single vote against her in Tribal Council.
 * Tina currently owns the old Barramundi tribe flag after a deal with Colby Donaldson that whoever won would have the right to own the flag. She claims that it still smells as it did during the game.
 * Tina was not originally chosen to compete in Australia. She was an alternate, who was called to the show only a week before filming began.
 * She replaced a contestant who withdrew from the game.
 * Tina is one of six Sole Survivors (along with Ethan Zohn, Jenna Morasca, Sandra Diaz-Twine, Tom Westman, Richard Hatch, and Rob Mariano) to play more than once and not be a member of the jury in any season.
 * Tina is one of six Sole Survivors (along with Sandra Diaz-Twine, Todd Herzog, Yul Kwon, Earl Cole and Natalie White) to win Survivor without winning Individual Immunity.
 * She is the first person to win Survivor without wining an Individual Immunity Challenge.
 * She is the first female to achieve this feat.
 * Tina is the first former Sole Survivor to get voted off in a subsequent season and the first winner to have their torch snuffed.
 * Tina owns the record for worst finish by a previous winner, with 18th.
 * Tina is the second person to be voted off first in a season and return for a second season. The first being Francesca Hogi.
 * Tina is the only person to be a first boot on a season and return to play again, but not be voted out first again.
 * Tina is the first person to have their torch snuffed for the first time in a season which was not their original season.
 * Tina is the first person to finish in 18th place in a season of Survivor.
 * Tina is the oldest female Sole Survivor by birthdate, not by age during gameplay.
 * Tina is the first Sole Survivor to vote against the eliminated castaway every time she voted at Tribal Council. (The others are Ethan Zohn, Brian Heidik, Amber Brkich, Yul Kwon, Todd Herzog, Parvati Shallow, and Natalie White.)
 * Tina is the second person to win a loved ones challenge, following Greg Buis.
 * Tina is the only All-Stars returnee to not participate in Heroes vs. Villains.
 * Tina's luxury item in Survivor: The Australian Outback was a backgammon board.
 * Tina is the oldest contestant in.
 * Tina is the third contestant to play the game three times without appearing on Heroes vs Villains, the other two being Ozzy and Penner.
 * Also, she is the first female with this achievement.