Survivor Season 49’s Tribute to Vince Costello Explained

On the Survivor Season 48 premiere, the show creators paid a heartfelt tribute to Vince Costello. While the name might not ring a bell for the viewers, Costello has been an integral part of the show for a long time.

Here are the details on who Costello was and why the show honored him.

Who was Vince Costello and why did Survivor Season 49 premiere honor him?

Vince Costello, 61, was a crew member on the reality show Survivor who passed away shortly after production wrapped for Season 50 in 2025. As a native Fijian, he served as the show’s Location Manager from 2016 to 2025 while filming in Fiji.

He helped to scout and secure various locations in the Mamanuca Islands for the Tribal Council, tribe camps, and other challenges. Costello had worked on 50 different productions before he joined Survivor.

Considering his significant contribution to the show’s beautiful locations, the show creators honored his contributions and memories with a tribute. At the end of the Season 49 premiere in September 2025, the tribute read: “In loving memory of Vince Costello, forever in our hearts.”

The exact cause of Costello’s death has not been publicly announced. However, the show’s executive producer, Jesse Jensen’s, GoFundMe fundraiser revealed that Costello had been diagnosed with late-stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma (liver cancer). Following his diagnosis, Costello and his family temporarily relocated to Australia for treatment and support. Before the fundraiser ended, it had successfully raised AUD 86,482.

Costello’s two kids were also involved in the Survivor production. His daughter, Aline Costello, 28, worked as the Location Assistant to her father. His son, Patrick Costello, 21, worked in the post-production department before eventually becoming a camera operator.

In an interview with People, before Costello had passed away, Aline spoke about working with her father on the show. While she wasn’t sure about it first, she said that they “work really well together.” She added, “We’re a very tight family, so I feel like if anyone could do it, it would be us. It’s been good.”

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