Survivor 48, the castaways were each met with their own issues and limitations that kept them challenged as they moved through the difficulties of the game. Joe, who was the oldest member of the original Lagi tribe, knew he had his work cut out for him, but his reasons for playing Survivor were deeply personal, and kept him motivated throughout the tough days ahead.

Prior to his time on Survivor, Joe had watched the show in the past with his sister, who'd always wanted to play the game herself. Sadly, Joe lost his sister to domestic violence, and shared early on in the season that he was playing the game to honor her memory. With such a heavy emotional weight on his shoulders, Joe was always a light in the game. Whether it was his relationship with Eva Erickson or his ability to put the game aside to show humanity and kindness to his fellow castaways, Joe became an incredible part of the season.

Joe Hunter's Job

He's A Fire Captain & A Father

Survivor 48 Joe Hunter in his fire captain uniform with his daughter in a truck.

Although Joe's time on Survivor made his character clear, he shared more about his personal life than his career. Despite being an open book and sharing that he's a Fire Captain, Joe was only shown talking about his experiences at work when it made sense on screen. As a Captain in his hometown of West Sacramento, California, Joe's been fighting some of the state's biggest fires for years. Clearly ionate about what he does, Joe was open about the difficulties of working as a first responder, but it was something that helped him in the game both physically and mentally.

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Joe's also a father to two children, which is something he's equally if not more ionate about. Joe's kids may be younger, but it's clear that he shares a genuine bond with his children, which he shares with his wife Kayte Christensen who works as a TV analyst for the Sacramento Kings. Happy to be a father, Joe shared prior to the game that his own father had been a huge inspiration in his life. After losing his dad unexpectedly, Joe explained that not only was his father his biggest inspiration, but his proudest achievement was being a good father.

Joe Hunter's Instagram

He Shares His Family's Adventures

Survivor's Joe Hunter wearing a bandana and looking to the right

Although Joe has a lot going on in his life, he appears to make time for what's important to him whenever he can. Whether that's spending time with his kids in the great outdoors, taking in sports all over California, or even doing some gardening, Joe's shared a ton about his life on his Instagram. The Survivor 48 alumni has been posting consistently about the show throughout the season, even hosting watch parties in his neighborhood to share the show with his family, friends, and fans. Viewers can find Joe on Instagram at his handle, @joehunterucla, for more fun content.

Joe Hunter's Age

He's In His 40s

At the time he filmed Survivor 48, Joe was 45 years old and he'll be turning 46 in June of 2025. While Joe was one of the oldest of the Survivor 48 cast, he was able to keep up with and dominate the rest of the competition physically. Working hard to make sure that he was physically ready for the competition, Joe nearly broke a record in physical competition wins and made it clear that he was a major threat. With the wisdom of a man in his 40s and massive competitive prowess, Joe was a major Survivor threat.

Source: Joe Hunter/Instagram

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Survivor
Release Date
May 31, 2000
Network
CBS
Showrunner
Jeff Probst
  • Cast Placeholder Image
    Jeff Probst

WHERE TO WATCH

Streaming

Directors
Jeff Probst
Writers
Jeff Probst