Sole "Survivor" Yam Yam Arocho reflects on tough competition

MINNEAPOLIS -- The 44th season of Survivor came to a close Wednesday night and one of the three finalists is from Minnesota.

Carolyn Wiger lives in Hugo and she played her way to the top. But in the end, it was Yam Yam Arocho, who was voted the soul "Survivor."

He beat out 18 castaways to take home a win and a million dollars. Marielle Mohs caught up with him as he adjusts back to reality after a tough competition on the island of Fiji.

MARIELLE: What was it like to find out that every one of your cast members, except for one, voted for you to win? 

YAM YAM: It was so humbling to know that they saw the value in my game and to have their support, it meant the world.

MARIELLE: Do you feel like your humor was part of your game?

YAM YAM: In the game, human relationships are all we have. we have no money, we have no power, we have no status, it's just those connections were the value in the game. So I definitely used my humor. Nobody wants to be hungry, tired, and then on top of that, not having fun. Hell no. You want to have fun.

MARIELLE: I completely agree. Sometimes you see winners that were so wound up the whole time and I'm like, 'Did you have fun doing it? Did you have fun getting there?' And I think you definitely did.

YAM YAM: Thank you. Yes, with Carolyn and Carson, we had such a blast. We were having fun every day.

MARIELLE: Since the pandemic, we've now had this new format where you guys go straight from the vote, to the reveal to the reunion. What was that like for you during this entire time you're home, watching the show from the comfort of your own home, but you have to keep this huge secret that you're the winner? What was that like keeping that bottled up the whole time?

YAM YAM: It should not be like that. It's too much pressure. Life is stressful as it is, then not telling your mother, your brother, your coworkers, your best friends, that you have a million dollars is like....OMG. It's a lot of pressure.

MARIELLE: What was something that you took away from the island that will forever stick with you?

YAM YAM: I took away the belief and tapped into this power and inner strength that I knew I had but I never tested it. But now that it's been tested and proven and certified, anything is possible.

MARIELLE: How do you hope to invest or spend this million dollars? How is it going to change your life?

YAM YAM: It's probably going to be used to make my family's life a little bit better.

Yam Yam is a salon owner from Puerto Rico.

He makes history as the first openly gay, person of color to win the show.