Ashley's Most Satisfying Survivor Moment Involves Someone You Wouldn't Expect

During a crazy Tribal Council that would determine which five castaways were headed to the finale, 26-year-old Ashley Nolan—a lifeguard from Florida—learned the disappointing news that her time on Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers had come to a close.

STREAM: The Full Survivor Season 35 Episode Entitled "The Survivor Devil"



We had the chance to catch up with the proud player following her time on the show, and here's what she had to say about game mistakes, funny unaired moments, and which experience will stick with her forever.

How surprised were you to learn your fate at Tribal Council?

Ashley Nolan: Unfortunately, I wasn't super shocked. I had a feeling that day that something was happening that I didn't know about. I dreaded that Ben would have an Idol and that I would be the Plan B.

I knew he was public enemy number one and I was confident that people wanted him to go first, but I knew there was a chance that he had another Idol somehow.

So unfortunately I wasn't that surprised, but I was super bummed. 



Looking back, do you think there's anything you could have done differently to have stayed?

Ashley: I mean, there's probably a million different things you could do looking back, but if you even just go back to the loved ones reward when Chrissy made the offer for me to work with them instead of the current alliance I was in… I think I definitely should have shown more interest in doing that.

Ben was our main person we wanted to get out, too, and it should have been everyone across the board.

So I should have played a little bit more into what she was saying and said, "Yeah, I'll work with you. Let's get Ben out" instead of completing putting a wall between her. I think that was a mistake I made.  

Which moment are you proudest of?

Ashley: My entire goal—secondary to winning—was getting my dad out there. That will forever be my most proud moment.

He's such a big fan of the show and I started watching it as a kid with him, and we would just always talk about one day when I'm on it and how he'd come and visit me. That moment was one of a lifetime.



We just couldn't stop staring at each other, like oh my God, is this real? I could have gone home right then and been okay with it because I was able to give that experience to him. Just seeing him in Fiji was my most proudest moment ever. 

READ: The Best Loved Ones Visits In Survivor History

How was playing Survivor different than watching?

Ashley: The biggest thing that viewers cannot comprehend is how hungry we are. I'm sure that's an overused answer, but it's so true.

When you watch a challenge, you might think, "Oh, that's easy," but even walking up to Jeff at the challenge is a challenge in its own, with how exhausted, tired, and hungry we are.

So, these challenges are not easy when you're in the conditions you are in.

Also, people think that what they see is everything that's happening, when really only one percent of what's actually happening out there is what they show. If you can imagine, things are even more complicated than what they show.

What's a favorite unaired moment you can share with fans?

Ashley: When we won the chickens back on my original Heroes Tribe and only a day later, we did the tribe swap…. and I'm so surprised they didn’' show any of this ridiculous chicken madness.

I had the genius idea of wanting to keep them on leashes because I thought they might be happier, and that if they were happier, they might lay eggs.

Devon was fully about it and he was my partner in this, and Desi, Alan, and Joe were like, "You guys are crazy. This is dumb. You better not lose any."



One of them got loose, and in the shuffle of trying to get it, we tripped over another one and all of the sudden, two of them are loose.

Devon and I were like, "Oh my God, we got to get these chickens or else we're going home!"

I'm sure somewhere there's just all this footage of us with these chickens running around like crazy people, diving into bushes, trying to get these chickens. I came home and kept telling this story.

Maybe you just had to be there...

WATCH: Ashley Becomes The Sixth Castaway Of The Season To Head To Ponderosa

Would you ever come back to compete again?

Ashley: In a heartbeat. It's so funny because when you're out there and you're so miserable and hungry, you wonder why the heck you're even playing in the first place, but as soon as you get a meal or two in you, you forget the crappy parts and know you'd do it again in a heartbeat. 



Watch the season finale of Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers on Wednesday, Dec. 20 at 8/7c on CBS and CBS All Access.