As the oldest player on the island at 48, Survivor contestant Trish Hegarty was immediately deemed "weak" upon meeting her tribemates. But the Massachusetts native stayed strong and quickly became a major contender in the group. Currently, Trish is using the strength gained throughout the cutthroat game, as well as her not-so-easy life, to bring hope to teens who are dealing with their own pressures.
Trish, now 55, was part of the "Brawn" tribe on Survivor: Cagayan. For Survivor season 28, now available on Netflix, castaways were divided based on their traits of "Brawn," "Brains" and "Beauty." As part of the toughest tribe, Trish had to prove herself, and she did just that. After aligning with police officer Tony Vlachos, who constantly stirred the pot with blindsides (and don't forget his hidden Spy Shack), Trish found herself in the ideal position. While helping to mend the relationships her partner uncaringly broke, she was protected by Tony each Tribal Council. But in the end, Trish was blindsided on day 36 out of 39 because of her allegiance to Tony Vlachos.
Like most individuals to compete on Survivor, Trish's time on the island wasn't easy. But, unlike most, she also led a difficult pre-Survivor life. Over the years, Trish fought through anxiety, loss, and her brother's heroin addiction, which took place at a time when society barely knew what heroin was. She could've easily crumbled. Instead, Trish stayed resilient and believed that things would get better. Currently, she travels to schools in Massachusetts to present her "Rock Your Resilience" assembly to pre-teens and teens. In a YouTube video, she said, "I really have a passion for kids and making a difference to the youth. I feel like kids are under so much pressure dealing with so many different obstacles, and I really think a lot of kids at a really early age give up a lot of hope. My mission is to try to get into every school system to tell my personal story of the obstacles that I've overcome."
The video shows Trish commanding a school gymnasium and asking her attentive crowd how to find joy. One student shouts, "You've gotta believe!" - the exact message Trish is trying to get across. So far, her efforts seem to be working. She said, "I was overwhelmed at how open these kids were to our stories, and how much we touched them. I never anticipated these kids literally jumping off their seats and coming up to me and spewing at me with all of their problems. It reminded me and opened my eyes to how much these kids are suffering and what they're going through on an ongoing basis, and how much they need a voice and a support system." In addition to living out her dream as a public speaker, Trish opened one of the first Pilates studios on Cape Cod, became a certified life coach, and raised two daughters as a single mom. According to her website, she also earned her bachelor's degree in early childhood education.
Though "Rock Your Resilience" is geared toward teens, Trish's ability to overcome every obstacle thrown her way is inspirational for the masses. When her Survivor tribemates counted her out, she could've quit. When drug addiction entered her family, she could've closed herself off from the world. However, Trish met each challenge with fierce confidence and came out a better, stronger person. We can't wait to see what she does next.