In the first few weeks of Survivor, strength matters just as much as strategy, if not more. Even so, sometimes a proven asset is inexplicably given the boot, which is exactly what happened to Sandy Burgin. In the first episode, the 53-year-old was immediately voted off the Jalapao tribe, who cited her age as a factor, but in a twist, Burgin was not eliminated after all. Over the next couple of weeks, she proved to be a force to be reckoned with, helping her tribe win several challenges in a row.

When Jalapao's winning streak ended, however, Burgin's tribe members turned on her once again, despite the fact that Sydney, the beautiful blonde, was the main player responsible for their loss in the immunity challenge. Despite Burgin's best efforts to save herself, she was voted out at the next Tribal Council.

The bus driver from Louisville, Ky. reveals what it was like to be the oldest player on Survivor: Brazil, why her initial strategy didn't work and what she planned to do with a million dollars.


Was it difficult to watch yourself be voted out all over again?
No, I pretty much knew I was going to go the first time. After we had finished the discussion of taking Sydney out because she was weaker, that afternoon, JT started avoiding me and I knew then that they had flopped on me, that they were going to take me out. So I was disappointed, but no, I wasn't surprised at all.

But Sydney is such a weak player – even if she is beautiful, why wouldn't the other players want to vote strategically?
I don't know! In all honesty, it's hard to figure out why, in God's name, would they choose to keep beauty over strength? We're in this to win and I think Taj said it best: "Eye candy don't win challenges." I have no clue. I'm just as surprised as you are, because I was tough in those challenges. We know that the only two times that we went to Tribal Council was because of Sydney and she was very, very weak.

Are you regretting not finding the secret immunity idol in the first episode because you couldn't figure out what "ten paces" meant?
Pretty much, but the clue that was given to me said that idol was only good for the first time Jalapao went to Tribal Council. But I could have used it strategically in another manner; I could have tricked them and made them think it was real and they wouldn't have known that I couldn't play. Only I would have known that.

Do you know now what a "pace" is?
Mmm-hmm. It's really funny how they played all that up to the public and stuff, because I know I'm a character and they want someone who's funny or silly or whatever – they projected me as pretty crazy, and I am, in a sense of "seizing the moment"-type crazy. But I knew what a pace was, they just never showed that to the public, God love me.

So you're not entirely happy with how you were edited?
In some parts, yeah, because I was so funny. I can come up with some one-liners that would crack my tribe up. I had 'em rolling. I couldn't get in their circle in terms of movies or music and stuff because there's a 30-year age difference there, so it's hard to get in their circle. But I could entertain them with jokes; I had them rolling at times. They never projected the comical part of Sandy.

What made you want to go on Survivor?
St. Jude. I've been playing on a softball team here in Louisville for 15 years and we raise money for St. Jude. I was actually at the hospital last year and I saw Jeff Probst's picture up there and he's a big supporter, so I thought "What better way to have a one in 16 chance at a million dollars and to raise money for these children?" I figured to suffer for 39 days was nothing compared to what these little kids suffer every day and that was my main goal of getting on Survivor.

Were you planning to give the entire million to the hospital?
No, but I planned on building a Survivor house, which would have taken quite a bit. I'm a giver and I will never go to my grave with money anyway, honey. I spend it and I share the love and the money and everything that I've got, everybody that knows me, knows that that's the way I am. I would have loved to been in the position to build a Survivor house, a place that these kids come to have their tests done to make sure they're still in remission – you know, surviving. I thought it would really have been cool and I was planning on even maybe hooking up with Ty Pennington from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to help me do that, see, and I thought it would be a wonderful thing. But I'm still hoping that in the near future, being on Survivor will allow me to raise money for St. Jude.

What was your strategy going into the game?
It was really to fly under the radar, in the beginning. To play middle-of-the-road, so I could go left or right – but I'm not a "fly under the radar" type of girl. From the word go, I'm ready for the action before it even starts. I didn't play it as calm as I should have but I still never changed my persona. I am who I am. Pretty much, I'm just a fun-loving person that enjoys life.

And it must have been hard to blend in when your tribe singled you out in the first episode as the person they wanted to vote out right away.
Exactly! They took me out definitely just because of the age factor. I think that's just a number; to me, it is. I've got a 14-year-old grandson that I ride dirt bikes with on the property that I live on and so if you look at my actions, it sure doesn't predict my age at all.

Do you feel redeemed now that you survived a couple of weeks longer than the tribe initially wanted you to?
Oh, yes, definitely. I'll tell you what, after those challenges, they said, "You are definitely tough. You are one strong, unique individual for 53 years old." They said, "You definitely surprised us in the challenges with the strength you had." I did get a second chance to make a first impression and I was thrilled for that.

Could you have done anything differently that would have kept you from being eliminated?
If I had really sat down with my tribe before we went to Tribal Council and said, "Look, guys, I'm in the game, not for selfish reasons; I'm in the game for St. Jude" and really pled my case, I think that they would have tended to listen to that a little more, maybe. But maybe not. That's the only thing I would change.

Were you surprised to find out about Taj's secret alliance with Timbira member Brendan?
I was – I didn't know about it until this past week when I watched the show! The thing is, the two individuals who need the money the least are forming this deal. But my take on that is that I don't know how far it'll take them. I think the tribes are smart enough to figure things out and I don't know that it's going to pan out like they actually want it to.

Who do you want to win?
I want Steven to win. He is the individual in this game who is totally, completely, 100 per cent out of his element. We've all camped and done things; he's never fished or done none of that. I believe Steven would be the true survivor if he lasts and that's who I'm definitely pulling for.


Survivor: Brazil airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on Global and CBS.

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