"Papa Smurf" never got the Survivor send-off the rest of Fiji did — no torch snuffed, no votes read against him. Gary Stritesky lucked into Moto, the haves' camp with the beds, the kitchen, even a shower, and looked set to coast a while as the tribe's warm grandfatherly anchor. Then on that strange double-elimination night, a medical scare hit him, and on the doctor's advice he made the call himself: he couldn't keep going, and walked away sixteenth. The game rolled right past him to an actual vote and sent Liliana Gomez home behind him. His nickname outlasted his stay, but the exit goes in the books as a quit on doctor's orders, not a blindside.
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Castaway
Gary "Papa Smurf" Stritesky
Gary "Papa Smurf" Stritesky
Competed on Survivor: Fiji (2007), finishing 16th.
- Seasons
- 1
Career record
16th
best finish
10
days on the island
Where does Gary rank?
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The Record — the facts
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16th
Best finish
S14
1
Season
10
Days lasted
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5.0
overall
5
5
5
5
5
for fun5
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Played alongside Gary
Castaways Gary shared the island with — tap any face to cross over to their game.
Common questions
- Did Gary "Papa Smurf" Stritesky win Survivor?
- No. Gary "Papa Smurf" Stritesky competed on Survivor but did not win. Competed on Survivor: Fiji (2007), finishing 16th.
- How many times has Gary "Papa Smurf" Stritesky played Survivor?
- Gary "Papa Smurf" Stritesky has played 1 season of Survivor: Season 14 (Fiji).
- What is Gary "Papa Smurf" Stritesky's best finish on Survivor?
- Gary "Papa Smurf" Stritesky's best finish is 16th on Survivor: Fiji (Season 14).
- How many days has Gary "Papa Smurf" Stritesky played Survivor?
- Gary "Papa Smurf" Stritesky has spent 10 days on the island across 1 season.
- What is Gary "Papa Smurf" Stritesky known for?
- Competed on Survivor: Fiji (2007), finishing 16th.
Around the fire
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