Survivor 48 cast Eva Erickson’s parents helped her to battle with autism.
Longtime host Jeff Probst became visibly emotional and broke down in tears during the reality competition series’s March 26, 2025, episode.
An emotional moment occurred when contestant Eva Erickson opened up about her autism diagnosis after facing challenges in completing the Immunity Challenge.
Highlights
- Survivor 48 host Jeff Probst broke into tears after Eva Erickson shared her journey with autism on the March 25, 2025, episode.
- Eva Erickson’s parents put her through different treatments for autism to help her get all the support she needed to enter school.
- Erickson has a sister named Ashleigh Erickson, who is working at Medtronic.
She had only told a fellow player, Joe Hunter, about her diagnosis. She said,
I’m ready to tell my story to everybody,” “I have autism. I was diagnosed when I was very, very young. Doctors told my parents I would never live independently, that I would never hold a job, that at most I could marry someone else with autism.”
Eva Erickson
She went on to say that she was experiencing overstimulation during the challenge but was “able to still finish” it and clinch the last Immunity Idol for her tribe.
Eva also thanked Joe, whom Jeff allowed to cross tribal lines to hug Eva after the challenge for comforting her. She added,
“Please, let’s take a step and understand that this is something I deal with,” “and everyone who has autism should not be ashamed to ask for help and ashamed to receive it.”
Eva Erickson
Joe explained he saw Eva “in need,” so he came to her aid despite being on the opposing tribe.
Jeff Probst praised Eva for playing Survivor, saying, “Knowing something like this might happen, and then being brave enough to share her story” with other viewers with autism. He said,
“I’m a parent,” “and I do see it.”
Jeff Probst
Survivor airs every Wednesday at 8 p.m. on CBS.
Survivor 48 Cast Eva Erickson’s Parents Are Her Biggest Inspiration
Eva Erickson, 24, was born on August 28, 2000, in Eagan, MN, United States, to her parents, whose identity has been kept private.
Erickson and her entire family are initially from the United States. Therfore, they hold white American ethnicity and American nationality.
Although her parents have avoided the media spotlight, they have always supported Eva in achieving her hockey dreams.
During one of the interviews, when she was asked about her biggest inspiration. She said her father’s work ethic, her mother’s kindness, and her sister’s perseverance greatly inspired her.
Recently, Eva revealed that her parents put her through different treatments for autism to help her get all the support she needed to enter school.
They tried different therapies, including brushing, spinning, and compression, and focused on helping Eva discover her strengths.
Due to her parents, she never viewed her autism as a roadblock to success.
In addition, Eva has a sister named Ashleigh Erickson, who lives in Eagan, Minnesota, and went to Eagan Senior High School.
Ashleigh is pursuing her bachelor’s degree at Creighton University. She has been working at Medtronic since 2024.
Additional Information
- Eva Erickson received her bachelor’s degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology in May 2022 and is pursuing a PhD in engineering from Brown Univeristy School of Engineering. She was a research and development intern at 3M.
- According to Eva’s Instagram handle, she is dating a hockey player named Paul Molnar, who was born on July 9, 2001, in Hopkinton, NH, United States.
- As an undergraduate at Georgia Tech, Eva Erickson was the first and only woman to play on the men’s hockey team.
