Lyrsa Torres was a Survivor: David And Goliath wildcard. She expected to be the first one vote off the show, but instead, stayed weeks after and made a name for herself. Though seemingly detached from her transitioning tribes, she held on an extra week when her name was written beside Natalie Cole's during voting. Cole was sent home.
Torres went into every tribal council expecting to leave. She told Newsweek she felt her odds were 50/50 each time. She met her end on Wednesday night's episode, but she isn't sad for herself. She's sad for the viewers who grew to love her after expecting she'd be an early dismissal.
"I feel really bad. Not because of me," she explained. "Obviously, I know I'm going out. But I feel so bad for all of these people that liked me and were rooting for me. Especially because in the beginning, people thought I was gonna be the first one out. I thought they didn't like me that much. It was a bummer. Like 'How do these people not like me? I'm f****** awesome!'"
Despite her obstacles at the start of the game, Torres played a game of kindness and honesty. But her passiveness and fair attitude in the game may have been her demise, she said. When asked what she'd do differently, she gave a list.
"I would have lied more. I would have been more ruthless and savvy," Torres said. "I think that was my downfall. I was trying to be very honest and very loyal. This is a game of deceiving people. If I ever play again, girl, I'm lying, lying, lying. I was way too honest and way too nice. Next time I'm gonna be such a bitch."
Torres knew it was her time to leave. She felt it in the air throughout the week, as she claimed the tone of other's behavior changed when she was around. It was Angelina Keeley's comments about Nick Wilson's eyes at tribal council that convinced her it was the end.
"I was like, 'Oh, I'm so going out tonight. Why is she not commenting on my beautiful eyes? I have beautiful brown eyes,'" Torres said. "'What's wrong with that girl?'
"So I knew. It was my time to leave the game. And it's totally fine," she added.
Torres appreciates her home life and family now more than ever. She explained when your resources are stripped to nothing, you appreciate every small detail. "I learned that you cannot take even the most meaningless things for granted," she said. "You have no idea how much I love toilet paper now."
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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Kelly started a career in journalism after completing her education at The New School in New York City. She currently ... Read more
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