Jane Bright Dies: ‘Survivor: Nicaragua' Fan Favorite Was 71
The Season 21 Fan Favorite's daughter Ashley Hammett announced her mother's death in a Facebook post on Thursday after her body was discovered earlier that day in her North Carolina home.
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'Today Jane Hammett Bright was found passed away within her home by a good friend and county sheriff,' wrote Hammett in the post. A cause of death was not disclosed.
Born Dec. 13, 1953 in Jackson Springs, N.C., Bright was a 56-year old dog trainer when she appeared on the CBS competition series in 2010. Separating the castaways into two tribes based on age, she started off in the older Espada tribe.
Despite being the oldest contestant of the season, Bright pulled her own weight, praised for her strength and contributions to the tribe. After being the 13th castaway voted off, she won the audience-voted Sprint Fan Favorite, along with a $100,000 prize.
Lord, I sure did get my heart broken when I opened up Facebook after work! 💔💔💔 One of my favorite Survivor family members, as I call them all, has passed away. 😢 I loved Jane so much!!! This lady was a firecracker! Always ready to have a good time and a good laugh! RIP Jane. pic.twitter.com/nO9n2alM17
— Donathan Hurley (@donathanhurley) May 15, 2025
Bright was remembered by fans and fellow Survivor cast members, including Survivor: Ghost Island's Donathan Hurley, who remembered her as 'a firecracker.'
'Lord, I sure did get my heart broken when I opened up Facebook after work!' he wrote on X. 'One of my favorite Survivor family members, as I call them all, has passed away. I loved Jane so much!!! This lady was a firecracker! Always ready to have a good time and a good laugh! RIP Jane.'
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