Thursday, October 1, 2026
Christine Shields-Markoski thought she knew what to expect when she was cast for the 23rd season of the CBS hit “Survivor.” She expected to build shelters, hunt for food and socialize with people she had never met –– all while preparing to be the last woman standing. What she didn’t expect, however, was to do it alone.
As a contestant on this year’s show, dubbed “Survivor: South Pacific,” which took place on Upolu, an island in Samoa, the 40-year-old resident of North Merrick was voted off the island after a mere five days. She was then banished to Redemption Island, where she spent two weeks by herself, before finally being eliminated from the show during the eighth episode, which aired on Nov. 2.
“It was lonely and dark and damp,” said Shields-Markoski of Redemption Island. “Early on, there was a point where I asked myself, ‘What am I doing here?’”
According to the show’s rules, when contestants are voted off the main island, they are sent to Redemption Island, where they are left to fend for themselves. As a contestant is eliminated each show, he or she challenges the current inhabitant of Redemption Island in a “duel” to determine who remains on the island. Remarkably, Shields-Markoski won five duels, leaving her alone on Redemption Island for two weeks.
It was an experience that she never expected to encounter, Shields-Markoski said. “I cracked somewhat, because being alone so much, and being alone with your thoughts, is not really that great on your mental state.
“But once I worked through that, and got over that hump, I became very comfortable there,” she added.
To occupy time on the island, Shields-Markoski said she went fishing, sewed shirts with fishing lines and went hiking through the jungle, all while documenting her experiences in a journal.
“I have to be here as long as I can possibly I can,” said Shields-Markoski of the mindset she developed. “I have to fight and stay here until the merge.”
Meanwhile, every three days, she faced off against another eliminated contestant. The “duels” were mini games that tested various physical and mental strengths, such as balance or concentration.
