Fabio Birza
Born: June 12, 1989
Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri Occupation: Student Seasons: Nicaragua Placing: Winner (Nicaragua) Tribes: La Flor; Libertad Total Challenge Wins: 12
Days Lasted: 39 Votes Against: 2 Awards: Challenge Beast (Nicaragua); Bamboozled (Nicaragua); Super Hero (Nicaragua) |
Survivor: Nicaragua
Fabio became the younger La Flor tribe's resident comic relief, sending his tribemates to laughter at every opportunity. His antics however, gained him an enemy in Naonka Mixon, whom Fabio had a conflict with after the former lost their socks. Using his personality as strategy, Fabio assumed a strategically clueless, bemused character, though completely insightful of tribe politics.
Early on, Fabio was an alliance outsider, having initially aligned with Shannon Elkins, Alina Wilson, Belly Bruno, and Benry Henry. Shannon wanted Brenda Lowe eliminated because she was perceived a threat. At the first La Flor Tribal Council on Day 6, Shannon began to aggressively berate Chase Rice for playing both sides. Fabio attempted to calm Shannon down, but to no avail when Shannon then directed homophobic remarks to Sash Lenahan, whom he suspected as gay. The conversation ended with NaOnka being called on to answer, only to deliberately say she disliked Fabio and his antics. At the end of the night, Fabio stuck with Shannon anyway, but Benry and Kelly B. voted with the rival alliance, sending Shannon home because of his comments; after which Fabio's remaining alliance partners were left in the minority. However, Fabio remained indispensable for his challenge strength, which attributed to La Flor's early successes, winning three of the first four Immunity Challenges.
After a Day 12 Tribal Switch, Fabio, along with Kelly S., Kelly B., Brenda, and Sash remained on La Flor. There, he befriended new members from the rival Espada tribe, Jane Bright, Marty Piombo, and Jill Behm. By virtue of being an original La Flor, Fabio seemed to have been included in Sash and Brenda's alliance. The second coming of La Flor won the following Immunity Challenge, keeing Fabio safe.
On Day 15, both tribes were forced to vote off one of their own. Jill, the next intended target, won individual immunity, forcing Fabio, Sash, Brenda and Jane, who was also adopted to the alliance as she harbored resentment toward Marty and Jill, to shift plans. The alliance split their votes between Marty, who possessed Espada's Hidden Immunity Idol and Kelly B., an original La Flor, but perceived as a threat. Marty's pandering to Fabio nearly endangered the plan, with Fabio believing Marty's lie about him being a chess grandmaster. Ultimately though, Fabio stuck with the plan and forced a 3-3 tie at Tribal Council between Marty and Kelly B., but it was Kelly B. who took the fall after the re-vote. Fabio lasted long enough to reach the merge, becoming a member of the Libertad tribe.
Fabio would then either join several, albeit failed, alliances. Marty included Fabio in an all-male alliance to topple Brenda's alliance, only to fail when Chase and Sash ultimately sided with Brenda. While he was kept around, the remaining castaways, mainly Sash, Chase, and Holly Hoffman, realized Fabio's strategy could actually work as he had not made any enemies among them or the members of the Jury. With no viable strategic options, winning Immunity Challenges was Fabio's last resort, winning the remaining three Immunity Challenges, keeping himself safe from the vote, while the formed alliance turned on each other. Fabio then joined Chase and Sash in voting Holly out, 3-1, making them as the final three.
At the Final Tribal Council, Chase and Sash were lambasted for being indecisive and "spineless" respectively, while the two accused Fabio for being clueless the entire game, though Fabio rebutted he did it on purpose. In the end, with five votes to four, Fabio's unconventional strategy won him the title of Sole Survivor garnering the votes of Marty, Naonka, Kelly S., Dan, and Benry.
Early on, Fabio was an alliance outsider, having initially aligned with Shannon Elkins, Alina Wilson, Belly Bruno, and Benry Henry. Shannon wanted Brenda Lowe eliminated because she was perceived a threat. At the first La Flor Tribal Council on Day 6, Shannon began to aggressively berate Chase Rice for playing both sides. Fabio attempted to calm Shannon down, but to no avail when Shannon then directed homophobic remarks to Sash Lenahan, whom he suspected as gay. The conversation ended with NaOnka being called on to answer, only to deliberately say she disliked Fabio and his antics. At the end of the night, Fabio stuck with Shannon anyway, but Benry and Kelly B. voted with the rival alliance, sending Shannon home because of his comments; after which Fabio's remaining alliance partners were left in the minority. However, Fabio remained indispensable for his challenge strength, which attributed to La Flor's early successes, winning three of the first four Immunity Challenges.
After a Day 12 Tribal Switch, Fabio, along with Kelly S., Kelly B., Brenda, and Sash remained on La Flor. There, he befriended new members from the rival Espada tribe, Jane Bright, Marty Piombo, and Jill Behm. By virtue of being an original La Flor, Fabio seemed to have been included in Sash and Brenda's alliance. The second coming of La Flor won the following Immunity Challenge, keeing Fabio safe.
On Day 15, both tribes were forced to vote off one of their own. Jill, the next intended target, won individual immunity, forcing Fabio, Sash, Brenda and Jane, who was also adopted to the alliance as she harbored resentment toward Marty and Jill, to shift plans. The alliance split their votes between Marty, who possessed Espada's Hidden Immunity Idol and Kelly B., an original La Flor, but perceived as a threat. Marty's pandering to Fabio nearly endangered the plan, with Fabio believing Marty's lie about him being a chess grandmaster. Ultimately though, Fabio stuck with the plan and forced a 3-3 tie at Tribal Council between Marty and Kelly B., but it was Kelly B. who took the fall after the re-vote. Fabio lasted long enough to reach the merge, becoming a member of the Libertad tribe.
Fabio would then either join several, albeit failed, alliances. Marty included Fabio in an all-male alliance to topple Brenda's alliance, only to fail when Chase and Sash ultimately sided with Brenda. While he was kept around, the remaining castaways, mainly Sash, Chase, and Holly Hoffman, realized Fabio's strategy could actually work as he had not made any enemies among them or the members of the Jury. With no viable strategic options, winning Immunity Challenges was Fabio's last resort, winning the remaining three Immunity Challenges, keeping himself safe from the vote, while the formed alliance turned on each other. Fabio then joined Chase and Sash in voting Holly out, 3-1, making them as the final three.
At the Final Tribal Council, Chase and Sash were lambasted for being indecisive and "spineless" respectively, while the two accused Fabio for being clueless the entire game, though Fabio rebutted he did it on purpose. In the end, with five votes to four, Fabio's unconventional strategy won him the title of Sole Survivor garnering the votes of Marty, Naonka, Kelly S., Dan, and Benry.
Voting History
Episode |
Fabio Voted For |
Voted For Fabio |
2 |
--- |
|
6 |
Kelly Bruno Kelly Bruno (Re-Vote) |
--- |
7 |
Marty Piombo |
--- |
8 |
Alina Wilson |
Individual Immunity |
9 |
--- |
|
10 |
--- |
|
12 |
Benry Henry, Dan Lembo |
|
13 |
Individual Immunity |
|
14 |
Dan Lembo |
Individual Immunity |
14 |
Individual Immunity |
|
14 |
--- |
Jury Vote: Benry Henry, Dan Lembo, Kelly Shinn, Marty Piombo, Naonka Mixon |
Trivia
- Fabio was the youngest male contestant on Survivor: Nicaragua.
- Fabio had the first confessional in Nicaragua.
- It was Shannon Elkins who nicknamed Jud to "Fabio," after Italian fashion model Fabio Lanzoni.
- Fabio is the first person to have his name changed in the opening intro, where his name was changed from "Jud" in the first episode to "Fabio" in the second.
- Fabio is the first person to win a Final Three where all of the finalists were of the same gender.
- Fabio currently ties with Jenna Morasca for the record of youngest winner, with both being 21 during the time of filming. However, Jenna had turned 22 before being declared the Sole Survivor of Survivor: The Amazon. This makes Fabio the youngest winner when declared the Sole Survivor.