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Survivor season 48 episode 12, titled Icarus Time, saw Joe open up about a personal loss while in conversation with Shauhin and Kyle after the reward challenge. He told the cast member that six was an important figure for him as his sister Joanna, had six letters in her name, and since it was down to the final six, it was a big day for him.
*The following article contains mentions of domestic violence. Reader discretion is advised.*
The cast member said that as her brother, it was his job to protect her, but he couldn't do that. He further chimed in on the same in a confessional and said she had passed away brutally, and that he was still struggling with her passing since they were in a fight the last time they spoke.
Fans online reacted to Joe's vulnerable moment online and praised him for opening up about something so "heartbreaking."
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"not a fan of the way Joe has played, but I can tell he is an amazing man and his story is so d*mn devastating. Losing a loved one to any form of domestic violence is a huge fear of mine, and the way Joe described all that is heartbreaking. Joe, you’re a good man," one person wrote on X.
"The entire reason Joe is on #Survivor48 in the first place is because of his sister. It was always her dream to play. And in the opening of the game, he told everyone her story, and that she was with him on that beach.I am so happy he got the opportunity to tell a story that is tragically all too familiar for many," a fan commented.
"They’re finally showing Joe’s story about his sister. The trauma he’s endured. The fact that he’s doing this in her honor and to raise awareness. It’s one of the things that has made him one of my favorites since the beginning," a tweet read.
Fans of Survivor season 48 called it a "powerful moment."
"Survivor showcasing another emotional issue this season with Joe's discussion of domestic violence and his sister's death. Another powerful moment," a person wrote.
"Joe is breaking my heart. His poor sister who he lost to domestic violence & the immense guilt that he must feel!" a fan commented.
"Wow ..I'm in tears. I had a major argument with my sister and she committed s**cide that day. Something that you can't recover from. It's something that you think about everyday. My heart breaks for Joe. I know exactly what he's going through," a tweet read.
Fans of Survivor season 48 further said:
"finding out this whole Joe and Eva storyline is probably more highlighted because of Joe's story with his sister... wtf Survivor thats low-key f*cked," a person wrote.
"Unfortunately i now know this season’s undertone is Joe is protecting Eva because he couldn’t protect his sister, and it’s kinda messed up they did it like this," a fan commented.
"We fought on the phone"— Joe opens up about his and Joanna's last conversation before her passing on Survivor season 48
In Survivor season 48 episode 12, Shauhin won the reward challenge and picked Kyle and Joe to accompany him. While they were there, Joe opened up to the castaways about losing his sister, Joanna, to domestic violence.
He told his fellow cast members that he was supposed to protect her as an older brother, but couldn't, and further chimed in on the same in a confessional. Joe revealed that he had lost his sister to domestic violence and that her passing was "pretty brutal."
"That last night before she died, we fought on the phone and I've been struggling with that for a while now since she passed," he added.
He told Shauhin and Kyle about the same and said that he was never able to talk to her again, and that it was hard to explain. The Survivor season 48 star further told the cameras that they would always tell each other they loved each other before hanging up the phone, but they didn't do that last night.
"Living with that is very difficult," he added.
Fans of Survivor season 48 commented on Joe talking about his sister's passing and sympathized with him online.
Tune in next week on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, to watch Survivor season 48's upcoming episode on CBS.
