Warning: the following article contains spoilers for season 45, episode 5 of Survivor.
Survivor is definitely toward the top of the list on the ranking of most difficult reality TV shows out there, and unfortunately, sometimes things go south. In season 45 we see that happen to Jake O’Kane, who gives us all a serious scare.
When the contestant signed up for the show, he must’ve been aware that surviving in an environment so different from what he’s used to would be far from easy. What he likely didn’t consider, though, was that his body would give out on him one too many times. In episode 3, “No Man Left Behind,” O’Kane suddenly fell, losing consciousness briefly before regaining his composure. Although he appeared to be fine afterward, some similar took place in episode 5, “I Don’t Want to be the Worm.”
Witnessing the scene take place, Survivor fans got understandably concerned, and are now wondering what exactly happened to O’Kane. Did the contestant just pass out, or did he have a seizure?
What happened to Jake O’Kane in Survivor 45?
Not even 10 minutes into episode 5 of Survivor 45, O’Kane falls to his hands and knees. What’s scarier, though, is the fact that his body starts convulsing in that position, which goes on for a few seconds before he gets his consciousness back and can get up. Clearly concerned, those around him offer aid, and his castmate Kellie Nalbandian affirms that these things may be happening as a result of their lack of food.
For those who don’t know, Nalbandian is a nurse, so it’s safe to assume that she knows what she’s talking about. Whatever the cause may have been, though, it appears that O’Kane had a seizure in episode 5, which is obviously worrying. The contestant also affirmed this via X (formerly known as Twitter), where he said a few words to thank fans for their concern and assure them that he’s okay now.
That said, as far as we’re aware, O’Kane doesn’t seem to have a history of seizures, so it’s impossible to know for sure what happened. It’s worth considering that the convulsions may have been a symptom of fainting, though, and not evidence of an actual seizure, as the two can sometimes look very similar.
At the end of the day, what matters is that this huge scare seems to have been just that; a scare. For better or for worse, the moment also provided an opportunity for O’Kane to share a bit more about his life thus far, which is always interesting for viewers.