Penn Stater Ian Rosenberger didn't win $1 million on "Survivor: Palau," but his actions did earn him the respect and friendship of his fellow Survivors and likely that of the millions of viewers who watch the program worldwide.
"I'm cryin' over here. What a beautiful man you are. Good luck in life," wrote Paula, a viewer who sent her comments to Penn State Newswire during the program. Read excerpts of the comments at http://live.psu.edu/story/12034 online.
Up until the finale, things had gone well for Rosenberger. However, an all-out confrontation after the first immunity challenge of the final episode caused ill will between Rosenberger and his two closest friends on the show, leaving the former Penn State Undergraduate Student Government president in tears and feeling very vulnerable. After Tom won immunity, Tom announced that because he, Rosenberger and Katie had agreed to take each other to the final three, Jenn was going to be voted off. However, things turned sour for Rosenberger after he remarked, "I'm glad I didn't have to make that decision, it would have been a tough one to make." That gave Tom second thoughts, which were fueled by Jenn when she told Tom that Rosenberger said he'd vote out Tom if he won immunity. When confronted, Rosenberger admitted to Tom that he had, indeed, said that he would have voted Tom out. At tribal council, Rosenberger tried to tell Tom that he had considered voting him off, but that he wouldn't have done it. Katie then put him on the spot by asking Rosenberger if he had lied to her in the last 24 hours. He said, "No," making it clear to Tom that Ian would have voted him off. However, it solidified Katie's trust in him. After two tribal counsel votes, they were deadlocked, setting up a tiebreaker challenge between Rosenberger and Jenn. Rosenberger won the challenge easily, sending Jenn to the jury and sending him to the final three.
Rosenberger, Tom and Katie went into the final immunity challenge aware of just how high the stakes were. As often has been the case on "Survivor," the final challenge was one of endurance, as Rosenberger, Tom and Katie had to balance on buoys. The challenge was made more difficult when a strong wind blew the buoys to and fro, and then it began to rain. The rain was followed by sunshine, but after four hours, all three still were on their buoys. As the sun set, all three remained steadfast and determined, but after four hours and 51 minutes, Katie stepped down and was out of the challenge. The standoff continued in total silence for about another four hours, but as the challenge entered its eighth hour, host Jeff Probst broke the silence by trying to get Rosenberger and Tom to make a deal.
"I'm just getting warmed up," said Rosenberger, refusing to try to deal. Tom, however, made an offer.
"If I win, I'm taking Katie. If you step off the tower, I'm taking you," he said.
Rosenberger decided that after recent events, he was not able to trust Tom. "No way, I'm hanging out here for a while. I like it here," he said. And so the challenge continued.
After close to 12 hours perched on the buoys, Rosenberger again broke the silence with a stunning offer. "OK, I have a solution," Rosenberger said after replaying the events of the past day in his mind. "As you know, I had an interesting day. I'll go down and you take Katie, and I'll give up the million to get back you guys' friendship."
Host Probst questioned him to make sure he knew what he was doing, but Rosenberger replied, "I said all along that friendship was most important."
Probst then asked Tom if this action would, indeed, restore his respect for Rosenberger. "Ian has my friendship after this game anyway, but he wins my respect now." With that, Rosenberger jumped off the platform, sacrificing $1 million dollars to restore his integrity. As Tom donned the immunity necklace, he gave Rosenberger one more chance to go to the final two with him, but Rosenberger said, "We had a deal."
Tom then abided by Rosenberger's wishes, and took Katie to the final two with him. In the end, it Tom, a firefighter from Brooklyn, N.Y., won the $1 million.
Rosenberger, 23, a native of Ambridge, majored in agricultural extension and educational leadership at Penn State.