Survivor star Jake Latimer sacrificed a lot to star on Season 49 of the popular show. He chose to appear on the reality show versus being there for the birth of his firstborn.
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Latimer explained that he and his wife tried to have a baby for years before getting pregnant.
"Me and my wife were trying to have a baby for about four-and-a-half years," said Latimer. "We just had no luck. And we went for help, and doctors were helping, and then we finally just gave up. We weren't getting answers."
"The doctor said, 'We don't think it's going to work.' So I applied for Survivor, just kind of like something to do to get my mind off of it," he continued. "And while I was in the process, she got pregnant and now our firstborn child is going to be born while I'm here on the island."
'Survivor' Star Explains Why
"I gave her to option for me to bow out. I said, 'This is our child. You're here alone,' " Latimer said. "She's Australian, so she doesn't have anyone up in Canada. But she says, 'No, you go out. This is your dream, go do it, and whatever money you make is mine.'"
"What I've gathered from it is no news is good news," Latimer said.. "Of course, I would love to hear if my baby's born healthy and stuff like that, but at the same time, they can't favor me and then not tell other people what's happening with their families back home. So I'm just going into it as no news is good news."
However, Latimer chose to be on Survivor in part because his father is going blind.
"My dad has an eye condition called glaucoma," he explained. "Basically, it's a tunnel vision that gets smaller and smaller and smaller until it's just black. And this will be the last season that he'll be able to actually watch before his eyesight is all gone. For me to make him proud one last time and be on his favorite show and have him watch his son on there, that will be it for his Survivor story."
