Survivor 48 Contestant Joe Hunter Apologizes to Sister Joanna In Tearful Tribute: 'I'm So Sorry for the Things I Said'

Survivor 48 contestant Joe Hunter gripped fans with his heartstring-tugging apology to his last sister, Joanna, in a new tribute on the hit TV series. Hunter joined the beloved reality competition show for its latest season, putting aside his day job as a fire captain, who is playing to honor his sister's memory.

Joe Hunter, one of the final few contestants on Survivor 48, shared a touching tribute to his late sister, Joanna, on the newest episode of the fan-favorite reality series. Hunter has often said that his sister is one of the primary reasons for coming on the show, hoping to play the game in honor of his dearly departed family member. 

In Survivor 48, Episode 12, Hunter opened up about his sister's death once more during a confessional on the beach; however, this time, there was regret in his voice where before it had not been present. 

He told the camera that he had initially joined the series to get "some closure to try to hopefully help start some healing" and "be Joanna's voice:"

"Well, I think it is time. It's time. Lets' go do this. Coming intoi this game, my motivation was my sister. She's the one that wanted to be here. She is the one that saw it from the first episode and that's why I applied. I wanted to be Joanna's voice and so I needed some closure to try to hopefully help start some healing."

"The night before you passed, I said some things I didn't mean," the Survivor cast member admitted, adding that he regrets never getting "the chance to say, 'I love you:'"

"The night before you passed, I said some things I didn't mean, and I never spoke to you again. You passed that morning. And I feel closer out here to you. So from the bottom of my heart, I am so sorry for the things I said. I know you didn't mean the things you said either. And I never got the chance to say, 'I love you.'"

So, because he had never gotten the chance to do so before, Hunter spoke directly to his sister, Joanna, for a moment, positing that "I love you and always will," and regrets that "[he] couldn't protect [her] from that monster:"

"So, I love you and always will. Most of all, I know I had one job as a brother. So, I need you to know that I couldn't protect you from that, and I am sorry that I couldn't protect you from that monster. I'm sorry. All right, I keep fighting out here. You take care of Dad up there. Make sure he’s not cheating at Uno. I don’t know. I love you. I miss you so much."

Hunter is a 45-year-old fire captain from West Sacramento, California, who has quickly become a fan-favorite among the Survivor 48 cast. He has vowed that he can "overcome anything" with the thought of his late sister in his heart and mind, which he has taken into his Survivor gameplay. 

Survivor 48 has come down to the final five contestants, of which Hunter is one. He joins Eva Erickson, Kamilla Karthigesu, Kyle Fraser, and Mitch Guerra as the show's final few cast members left vying for the $1 million grand prize (read about Survivor 48 spoilers here). 

What Happened to Joe Hunter's Sister, Joanna, Before Survivor 48

Survivor 48 contestant Joe Hunter has been outspoken in talking about his sister's death, continually attributing his joining the series to her passing. 

Before the show started, the Survivor shared that he and his sister (a massive fan of the reality show) joked about joining the series, but never did. However, it was after Joanna tragically died that he started to seriously consider sending in his audition tape.

Joanna was a victim of domestic abuse, tragically and suddenly passing after a confrontation between her and her partner before Joe applied for Survivor 48. Hunter has not gotten into specifics of what happened with Joanna on the show, just saying that the Hunter family "lost her suddenly and violently."

On his personal Instagram page, the Survivor cast member talked further about his sister's impact on him, telling fans that he "wouldn't be here without [Joanna]:"

"Episode 11, here we go. I just wanted to take a second real quick to basically say shout out to my sister Joanna. We lost her suddenly and violently to domestic violence, and she is the real reason why I am on the show, and I definitely would not have made it to episode 11 without her being my guardian angel. I am definitely not perfect, and actually far from it, but I wouldn't be here without her."

He continued, sharing that even though she is gone, he (and the Survivor community) can speak out against domestic violence:

"So, anyone suffering from domestic violence, mental health, or depression, please do not give up, the Family Justice Center here in Sacramento can help you, and let's just celebrate 'Survivor' and all the good things that it provides and really just celebrate those that are trying to get out of a domestic violence situation. My heart goes out to you, and I am here for you. So, let's rock it for Joanna. Love is not abuse. And let's be Joanna's voice as a community. And thank you to 'Survivor' and all the fans who support and show me love. I love you. Season 48, episode 11, tune in tonight, 8/7 central. Let's go baby."

Joanna's memory lives on through her brother, as he is still living her dream as a member of the Survivor cast. In fact, he is within two episodes of winning the $1 million cash prize, with only five contestants left on the island.