Chrissy of Survivor 48 (Imagevia Instagram/@chrissysarn)

Who is Chrissy Sarnowsky from Survivor 48? Career and other details explored

Modified Apr 17, 2025 07:30 GMT

Season 48 of Survivor aired its latest episode on Wednesday, April 16, 2025. The current season premiered on February 26, 2025, and in the latest episode, 55-year-old Chrissy Sarnowsky, a Fire Lieutenant, was eliminated.

Born on October 23, 1969, Chrissy grew up in Chicago, Illinois. Growing up, the Survivor contestant faced financial difficulties as she belonged to a low-income family. Chrissy was close to her mother, and they shared a love for watching the TV show Survivor. Chrissy herself has one son, whom she calls her "mini-me."

She is a single parent and has a close-knit group of 18 friends with whom she has formed a softball team called The Pretenders. The group takes a mandatory trip together every year. The Survivor 48 contestant dropped out of high school but later earned her General Educational Development diploma.

At 18, she decided to attend EMT and Paramedic School with a friend. By 21, she had started her career as a paramedic. As of this writing, she has also amassed over 800 followers on Instagram. She can be followed on @chrissysarn, where she keeps her fans updated about her professional and personal life.

Survivor contestant Chrissy Sarnowsky opens up about her passion for helping others

The Survivor 48 contestant, Chrissy Sarnowsky, sat down for an interview with Parade on February 3, 2025, where she opened up about her passion for her work. During her clinical training, she recalled a motorcycle accident, and a girl in her group couldn't handle the whole scenario. However, Chrissy stepped in to help. This situation made her realize that she loved assisting others.

With 33 years of experience as a paramedic, Chrissy mentioned that she tried to treat everyone like family and said she would stop working if she ever lost this feeling.

"We had a motorcycle accident, and the guy was degloved. His skin was falling off. And she ran out puking. And I ran in and thought, 'Wow, this is the coolest thing,'" stated Chrissy.

Chrissy also discussed her favorite moments in the reality show's history. She mentioned that she enjoyed the earlier seasons. She expressed her dislike for "superfans" who overprepared for the show. She said it takes away from the unpredictability and challenge of the experience.

She further said that the reality show is like a "weird scientific experiment" in which strangers are put in a difficult situation, and the result is never certain. This aspect was most intriguing to her.

"Nobody can predict what can happen. It's like putting 18 mice in a cage and seeing who's gonna be the lead mouse. So I don't know. It's a great experiment," said Chrissy.

Meanwhile, Chrissy identified her biggest strength in the game as her ability to connect with people. She believed she could form relationships quickly and easily, which could benefit her long-term. However, she also acknowledged that these connections would be used to advance in the game.

The Survivor 48 contestant said she expected to be perceived as the older person in the game due to her age. However, she didn't feel old, as she worked with younger people as a fire lieutenant. With 33 years of experience, she was confident in her ability to assess people's strengths and weaknesses, which she believed would help during her run on the reality show.

Survivor season 48 airs new episodes on Wednesdays at 8 pm ET on CBS.

About the author

Amijeet Singh is a reality TV writer at Sportskeeda who completed his master’s degree in Mass Communication and Journalism. A true jack of all trades, Amijeet has more than 6 years of work experience under his belt. He loves reporting on reality TV particularly for its transparent depiction of real emotions, conflicts, and stories that resonate with viewers. This motivates him to offer fresh insights and perspectives to foster empathy and understanding among readers.

Amijeet’s portfolio features stints at Rainforest Communications, ENNOBLE IP/WIEF, UX Technologies, and Deselk Studios. He has worked on ad campaigns and market research, subtitled TV shows and movies, and created and managed his own YouTube channel. Amijeet has also written and acted in over 100 skits for an entertainment platform, which collectively reached over 100,000 views.

To ensure factual accuracy, Amijeet conducts thorough research and cross-checks information with multiple sources. While writing, adhering to journalistic integrity is the top priority for him, and he stays up-to-date with trends and ethical guidelines to ensure he is respectful toward those he is writing about. Amijeet maintains his voice in his reportage, all while striving for bias-free reporting.

Amijeet’s favorite celebrities are Gordon Ramsay, Frank Lampard, and Hayao Miyazaki, who honed their crafts by working on them constantly. Their creative journeys and dedication to their craft he admires. When not closely following his favorite actors and icons, Amijeet likes to write sci-fi stories, watch horror films, and play team sports. In his free time, he also plays the guitar and drums.

Know More