Utahn out of race for 'Survivor' $1 million prize

One Utahn is out of the running for the $1 million "Survivor: South Pacific" prize and became the third member of the jury.

Dawn Meehan, 41, of South Jordan, and Whitney Duncan, 27, of Nashville, both lost a duel against Oscar “Ozzy” Lusth, 30, of Venice, Calif., for a chance to get back in the game in Wednesday's episode that included Days 29 and 30.

"Dawn, what was the lesson that you learned about what you are capable of in life?" host Jeff Probst asked an emotional Meehan, a Brigham Young University English professor who is also a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"That anything is possible," she said. "I hope that people I'm around will feel this energy that I've felt from seeing the impossible become possible."

The duel was to balance ceramic dishes as they were added one at time on a wobbly arm. Meehan was out when the stack crashed to the ground while trying to put an 11th dish on it.

"Your adventure, sadly, has come to an end," Probst said.

"But I got to take it," Meehan said before she got emotional and initially resisted putting her yellow Survivor buff in the fire.

Meehan and Duncan were voted out at previous tribal councils. Once voted out, players go to Redemption Island and duel each other in groups of two or three. At one point, the duel winner will be invited back in the game for a chance at the $1 million.

Meehan and Duncan were the remaining members of the former Savaii Tribe that the former Upolu Tribe members were targeting after the two tribes merged into the Te Tuna Tribe.

After former Savaii Tribe member John Cochran, 24, a Harvard Law School student, switched loyalties, the former Upolu Tribe members voted off five former Savaii members one at a time.

Albert Destrade, 26, of Plantation, Fla., won the immunity challenge on Wednesday, narrowly beating out Rick Nelson, 51, a rancher from Aurora, Utah, who is a Mormon.

For the challenge, the first three to land bean bags on crates moved to the second round of knocking down three targets with coconuts and a slingshot.

There was an effort by Cochran and 35-year-old anesthesiologist Edna Ma to vote off Nelson, but ultimately Cochran was sent to Redemption Island.

"I've got my bags packed," Nelson said during tribal council when asked by Probst if he was worried about the potential outcome. "But I really don't want to go."

The jury members are allowed to attend tribal council but aren't allowed to vote or speak. The jury members will ultimately help choose the winner of the game. Meehan and Duncan, the newest jurors, looked like they had a chance to rest, clean up and dress in different clothes from the swimsuits and outfits they have been wearing for nearly 30 days on the island.

Email: rappleye@desnews.com