Survivor star Russell nearly died

BY CHRIS SCHULZ

EXCLUSIVE: Russell Swan says his 15-day stint on reality show Survivor: Samoa nearly killed him.

Swan, a lawyer from Philidelphia, became the second person to leave the latest season of the TV3 show on medical advice after 62-year-old Mike Borassi suffered low blood pressure during an immunity challenge in the show's second episode.

But Swan, the dreadlocked leader of the Galu tribe who could be seen staggering around before doubling over, collapsing and passing out during a "brutal" immunity challenge, said he came perilously close to dying.

"It's not too often that you almost see someone die on TV (but) it was definitely that close," Swan told Stuff.co.nz.

"I can remember at one point feeling very comfortable and there was that whole bright light thing. It was pretty spooky ... I feel like I almost checked out."

His medical emergency meant the challenge was called off and no one else was eliminated. The 42-year-old shed tears after being told by host Jeff Probst he was leaving the show.

Probst told him: "You pushed your body until your body said enough. There's nothing about that that is a quitter. I watched you black out in front of me two times ... there's no way you could have stayed in this game."

But Swan said he couldn't remember much about the incident.

"I must have been in really bad shape because my memory of what happened, and what actually happened, were two completely different things.

"It freaked me out because I remember doing fine, hitting myself in the chin, maybe knocking myself out. That's why I kept saying, 'Hey Jeff, let's keep going, I'm alright. It was obvious I was not alright and needed medical intervention. (Staying on) wouldn't have been a smart choice."

He called the incident an "aberration" and put it down to a "three headed monster of dehydration, lack of nutrition and sheer exhaustion".

"I was exhausted. I'm used to about 3300 calories a day. On a good day we got maybe 60 calories."

He had never experienced anything like it before.

"My ego was bruised when I got back (so) I tried to replicate by running really hard one day, not eating, not drinking (and) it was really hot here in Philadelphia. I couldn't recreate it.

"It was one of those aberrations."

Swan, who had applied to be on Survivor eight separate times before being accepted for the Samoa series, said he had expected to be criticised after the show aired but family and friends had been supportive.

"I thought (my friends and family) would see me as a complete weak link because that's the way I felt. I felt like less than a man. I’m supposed to be a tough strong guy and I was taken out by medical.

"I wish it would have been different."

Survivor: Samoa screens on TV3 every Thursday at 8.30pm. Stuff.co.nz will interview every contestant as they are eliminated.

* Watch footage of Russell in action below:

- © Fairfax NZ News