In the finale of “Survivor 48,” which aired on Wednesday, May 21, it was 31-year-old attorney Kyle Frasher that was able to outwit, outlast, and outplay the others to earn the title of sole survivor and a million dollar grand prize. After winning the Final Four immunity challenge, Kyle won the ability to decide who was going straight to the Final Three, and which two castaways would be left to battle it out in a fire-making challenge.
Kyle Says Making Fire Decision was ‘One of the Hardest Moments’ of his Life
Ultimately, Kyle decided to bring Joe, arguably his biggest competition, to the Final Three, leaving Eva and Kamilla, his ally from day one, to race to build a fire. Eva emerged victorious, making Kamilla the eighth and final member of the Season 48 jury.
In a post-win interview with TVLine, Kyle revealed that making the decision was “one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do in my entire life.”
When TVLine asked Kyle to reveal the hardest vote or decision he’d had to make throughout Season 48, the sole survivor replied, “Fire was a really, really tough day.”
Kyle elaborated, saying, “I knew that I was going to take Joe because emotionally, Joe was like a brother to me. We’re very, very close. That was a relationship that meant a lot to me out there. Strategically, also, I couldn’t give him one more thing, to put a notch on his resume that could maybe make him sort of pull away from me.”

With Joe securely in the Final Three, Kyle remembered struggling to tell Eva and Kamilla his decision. “Eva and I were very close, and I knew the moment I said, ‘Hey, I’m putting you in fire,’ to see the pain that she went through to get ready for that particular circumstance, it’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do in my entire life. I can’t even imagine what it was like for her.”
Despite allying with Kamilla from the very first day of “Survivor 48,” Kyle said that the duo knew: “we couldn’t sit together and win next one another.”
“It was not always the plan, but I think around [top] seven or six, we could see the writing on the wall,” revealed Kyle, adding that, after the duo orchestrated Shauhin’s elimination at Top 6, “There was only one way for one of us to win, and it was not sitting with one another.”
Kyle Reacts to Being Named ‘Sole Survivor’ of Season 48
In the end, sitting next to Joe and Eva, host Jeff Probst read out the vote of 5-2-1 in favor of Kyle. When asked if he felt confident as Jeff read out the votes, Kyle said, “I’ll be honest, I was worried up until I heard Jeff say, ‘The winner of Survivor 48.’ I went to the end with two very strong competitors. If you zoom out, Kamilla and Mitch were terrifying to me as well. Everybody was an absolute threat. I think that’s the theme of our season. Threats go to the end.”
Kyle continued: “But I knew that I made my case and I owned my game, and I’m really proud of the way that I did that. So if I’d put a number on it, probably 70% confident, but you never know. I’m a lawyer. Juries could do whatever they want to do.”
Fresh off his million-dollar win, Kyle similarly revealed whether or not he’d ever return for another “Survivor” run. The answer was an emphatic, ‘Yes.’
“Oh, I would play in a heartbeat. Please, please! I would love to!” said Kyle.

While “Survivor” hasn’t seen returning castaways compete since Season 40, a.k.a. “Winners at War,” the show’s forthcoming 50th season will feature a cast composed entirely of former competitors. When asked which players he’d like to see return for “Survivor 50,” Kyle told TVLine: “I would love to see like a Cochran, a Christian Hubicki. It’s funny. I was in the strong alliance, but I think of myself as one of the nerdy guys.”
Kyle similarly threw four-time “Survivor” castaway Cirie Fields’ name into the mix. “I know it’s a hot take, but I love watching Cirie play. I’d love to see her. She always figures out a way. So, I’d say those three and I’ll leave it at that.”
The full cast of “Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans” is set to be revealed Wednesday, May 28 on “CBS Mornings”.
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‘Survivor 48’ Winner Responds to Final Four Fire-Making Decision