Utah 'Survivor' contestants reflect on their days on the island

Dawn Meehan doesn't go many places where she doesn't get recognized as a contestant on "Survivor: South Pacific."

"Everyone has been so supportive," the South Jordan adoptive mother and Brigham Young University English professor said in a phone interview just after the episode aired where she was eliminated from the game. "It is a tiny taste of what it may be like to be famous."

Meehan was one of two Utahns and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who competed on the most recent season of "Survivor" on CBS.

Rick Nelson, a rancher from Aurora, made it to the final five and to Day 37 of the 39-day competition.

Both Nelson and Meehan were part of the nine-member "Survivor" jury who ultimately picked the winner of the $1 million prize.

Medical student Sophie Clarke was voted as the sole survivor, which was announced in the finale on Dec. 18. Benjamin "Coach" Wade and Albert Destrade were in the top three who made their case to the jury as to why they should win.

Meehan voted for Clarke and Nelson voted for Wade, even though Nelson was angry with Wade and Destrade for their assuring him he was safe and then voting him out.

It was what Wade said at the very end in admitting that he lied to several people that swayed Nelson. For Meehan, it was looking at the three "Survivor" mantras: outwit, outlast and outplay.

"I feel it's a game," Meehan said, adding that it was no different than a football game. The players tackle each other during the game, but they don't do that to each other in real life. And honestly, she expected more blindsiding than what happened there.

Meehan, who lasted 28 days on the island and lost 14 pounds, was part of the Savaii Tribe. Nelson, who lost 23 pounds, was part of the Upolu Tribe. He made an alliance with four others that helped carry him to the end. After the two six-member tribes merged, Savaii Tribe member John Cochran, a Harvard law student, switched loyalties, giving the former Upolu members an upper hand. The former Savaii members were voted off one at time.

"It was hard to leave the game," said Meehan, who wore her trademark striped knee socks on the day the episode aired in which she left the game. She still has the red and brown swimsuit and the rest of the clothes she wore on the show, which were laundered for her. "It was a really, really empowering experience."