Hundreds of Survivor fans lined up at Lauritzen Gardens after Omaha was chosen for the Survivor 50 Challenge, with many traveling from across the region for a chance to win a trip to Los Angeles to watch the season finale live.
"Every winner gets to bring a guest, and I would bring my best friend, cause she's applied for Survivor. And she's the number one Survivor fan I know," said Terra Tyburec, who drove from South Dakota.
Holly Miller drove to Omaha from Lincoln and arrived at 9 p.m. Sunday, sleeping outside the garden gates in her car to ensure she would be first in line.
"From season one, me and my best friend she lives in Virginia, and we have not missed a season, and it's been our thing as we've been friends for 30 plus year and going to see that would be crazy," Miller said.
Miller wasn't the only one who spent hours waiting. Denise Shutt, Marcy Young, and Krista Anderson formed an alliance and built friendships while in line.
"We did. We already formed an alliance. I'm the foodie survivor," Young said.
"So we're farm to table. That's our alliance, yes," Anderson said.
"Absolutely, um, we are all very strategic. Found out what we love about Survivor. Um, we've bonded over, um, knowing I watched Survivor since the very first episode. Um, so it's just been fun figuring out what we all love and why we're all passionate about Survivor," Shutt said.
Miller's commitment paid off as she became the first person inside the gardens and even got to wear former cast member John Carroll's original bandanas. Carroll competed on season four of Survivor and grew up in Omaha.
"You know, to be honest, I had no idea this many people, and we're a small state, so I wasn't sure how many people would actually show up, but we all know Huskers show out and Blue Jays show out, and based on what I've seen out there, yeah, this is great. This is awesome," Carroll said.
At the end of the event, attendees had a chance to scan a QR code for the contest entry.
While only one person will win the trip to LA, hundreds of fans found a reason to come together and explore Lauritzen Gardens.
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