Survivor 43 Winner Plans to Donate $1 Million Prize to Charity

Mike Gabler surprised Survivor 43 viewers when he took home the top prize - and dropped another bombshell when he revealed his plans for the money. 

Gabler was named Sole Survivor winner of the $1 million prize as Survivor 43 came to a close, and announced that he planned to donate all of his winnings to Veterans in Need. The move is in honor of his father, Robert Gabler. 

"We made history here this season in 43," said Gabler, the second-oldest winner in Survivor history. "Season 43 is a special season because of these special people and because we're gonna make history another way. We all have a chance of a lifetime out here, adventure of a lifetime. What we all learned from each other is priceless. We all made us better."

"There are people out there 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, a heart valve specialist, emotionally continued. "We're going to save lives and do something good... Season 43, all of us did this. A million dollars is going to them. We made history, guys," he said, as his castmates and jurors cheered.

Survivor 43 is now streaming on Paramount+ and FuboTV.

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Jade Budowski is a freelance writer with a knack for ruining punchlines and harboring dad-aged celebrity crushes. She was previously a reporter/producer at Decider and is a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow her on Twitter: @jadebudowski.