"Breaking my heart" — Survivor 48 fans get emotional as Joe talks about his late sister’s tragic past with domestic violence

Joe Hunter, a participant on Survivor 48 Episode 12, opened up about the loss of his sister Joanna to domestic abuse in a very moving moment. When Joe reflected alone on the beach, he disclosed that he joined the show to pay tribute to Joanna and achieve closure. Remorseful for their previous chat and the lost chance to say "I love you," he emphasized his need to be her voice and begin reconciliation.

Joe's dedication to spreading awareness about domestic violence has been a defining feature of his time on the show. He wore a purple bracelet that read: "Abuse Is Not Love," signifying his commitment to the cause throughout the season. His openness raised awareness of the problem and demonstrated his character's range of emotions.

His willingness to share such a personal experience highlighted the importance of the issue and the necessity of ongoing activism and awareness. Many viewers found resonance with Joe's tale, which sparked conversations about the significance of combating domestic abuse and providing help to survivors.

An admirer wrote:

"Joe is breaking my heart. His poor sister who he lost to domestic violence & the immense guilt that he must feel! 🥺❤️‍🩹 "

Another fan shared on X:

"@Survivorcbs Joe - you are a sincere man of heart. ❤️ I'm SO very sorry your sister lost her life. 'Sadly she perished due the all too damn common #DomesticViolence epidemic. 💔"

"Joe has regrets of not being the protective brother to his late sister is heartbreaking," another tweet read.

Resonating to Joe's sister's story, a few fans of Survivor even shared similar past experiences.

A netizen posted from his account:

"As a DV Survivor, the turning point for me was getting that phone call from my baby sister where she cried and begged me to come home. Check in on your loved ones. Let them know you’re safe. Give them the courage to get out. Proud of Joe for putting a spotlight on this."

"Wow ..I'm in tears. I had a major argument with my sister and she committed suicide that day. Something that you can't recover from. It's something that you think about everyday. My heart breaks for Joe. I know exactly what he's going through," a viewer shared.

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"I wanted to be Joanna's voice" — Survivor 48 star Joe Hunter gets emotional as he talks about his late sister

In Survivor 48 Episode 12, Joe Hunter talked candidly about a very touching period of his life. He talked about his tragic motivation for playing the game, which was the loss of his sister Joanna to domestic abuse, while spending some time by himself on the beach. For Joe, the goal of this trip was always healing rather than outwitting or outlasting:

"Coming into this game my motivation was my sister. She’s the one that wanted to be here. She’s the one that saw it from the first episode. 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."

One of the most moving observations of the season was Joe Hunter's vulnerable moment, which left not only the fellow contenders but also the fans.

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Watch episode 12 of Survivor 48 on CBS.