Savannah Louie, a former St. Louis TV anchor and reporter, has officially claimed the title of “Sole Survivor” and the $1 million prize after outlasting 17 other contestants in the 49th season of “Survivor”. The season finale was Wednesday night.
Louie, who worked at KSDK from 2019 to 2021 before moving to Atlanta News First and later transitioning into a marketing content specialist role, entered the finale alongside four other competitors (Kristina Mills, Rizo Velovic, Sage Ahrens-Nichols, and Sophi Balerdi).
In the end of the dramatic run filmed in Fiji, she pulled off the win in a historic all-female Final Tribal Council defeating Sophi Balerdi and Sage Ahrens-Nichols in a 5–2–1 jury vote. This marks the first time since 2014 that three women have faced off in the final showdown.
Her path to victory was anything but easy. Louie tied the Survivor women’s record for individual immunity wins, claiming four necklaces throughout the season. She relied on her core alliance to get rid of a powerful group that controlled the second half of the game, eventually winning a fire-making challenge against Rizo Velovic to reach the finale.
At the Final Tribal Council, Louie impressed the jurors of previously eliminated contestants with her clarity and honesty, even when challenged with tough questioning. Her winning strategy was praised as a well-rounded mix of impressive physical displays, well maneuvered social situations, and overall just thinking multiple steps ahead, putting her among the show’s elite winners.
“Survivor” which has been running since 2000, continues to evolve by attempting to up the stakes and drama in each season, and Louie’s win is already being considered as one of the standout performances in recent times.
Fans won’t have to wait long to see more of her though, as she will return for Survivor’s 50th season, premiering on Feb. 25, with 21 other players from earlier seasons.
