Imagine a police officer taking on the challenge of CBS’s Survivor – that’s Tony Vlachos for you! He’s not your typical contestant, and he’s been on the show not just once, but three times! What’s even more impressive is that Tony emerged victorious in two of those seasons.
Yes, you heard it right, he’s the only Survivor champ to win two seasons: the 28th season called Cagayan and the 40th season known as Winners at War.
Surviving on Survivor isn’t a walk in the park, especially when you’re up against contestants with heaps of experience. But Tony’s background as a police officer gave him a unique edge. He used his training to outshine everyone else, and boy, did it work!
But, as they say, every advantage comes with a price. On Survivor, you have to survive not only by physical skills but also by navigating the tricky world of politics within the game.
We won’t dive into the political stuff here, but Tony’s knowledge as a policeman came in handy for sure. Yet, even with all his expertise, the wilderness presented challenges he’d never encountered before. Tony had to face the tough task of finding clean, drinkable water and scrounging for food.
And here’s something really interesting: while fighting to stay in the game, Tony ended up losing a significant amount of weight. Let’s dive into the details:
Tony’s Drastic Weight Loss on Survivor
While competing on the 40th season of Survivor, Tony lost more than 34 pounds. When after winning the show, Vlachos saw himself in the mirror he seemed shocked. He described the experience as “unbelievable”.
This weight loss was expected as Tony faced hunger, thirst, and changing weather on the island.
He did very hard work on the show and that’s the main reason he outdid everyone. At the end of the show, Vlachos succeeded in securing 2 million dollars as the prize.
Where is Tony now?
As of now, Tony lives in Allendale, New Jersey along with his wife Merissa Ann, and his kids.
Merissa was a fellow police officer when Vlachos started dating her. They married on June 2, 2012. He is healthy and good and is living his life peacefully.
Also, get insights into the adventures of other survivors as well: Callie Russell, David McIntyre, and Biko Wright.
