‘Survivor’ winner is Texas man who pledged his entire $1 million prize to veterans

Kingwood man donating prize money in father’s name to help veterans

Fiji (Wikimedia Commons/JaredWiltshire)

KINGWOOD, Texas – A Texas man named Mike Gabler just won “Survivor” season 43 and has announced that he will be donating his $1 million prize to veterans.

Gabler, who is from a northeast Houston community called Kingwood, won the reality-competition television series and made the announcement during the after-show, according to People.

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“There are people who need that money more. And I’m going to donate the entire prize — the entire million dollar prize, in my father’s name, Robert Gabler, who was a Green Beret — to veterans in need who are recovering from psychiatric problems, PTSD, and curb the suicide epidemic,” Gabler said.

He is a heart valve specialist who comes from a military family and is the second-oldest winner in the show’s history.

Gabler told host Jeff Probst during the after-show that he doesn’t come from money but he’s fortunate because he’s worked hard.

“We’re going to help veterans in need and we’re going to donate that entire million dollars to them. I’m forever grateful that we did this. We did this guys,” Gabler said during the after-show.

For any veteran struggling with mental health issues, call 988 and then press 1.


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