ROCHESTER — Sarah Wade is on a mission.
She’s ready to show her drive and strength in the upcoming “Survivor” season, which premieres on March 1. Wade, 27, graduated from Mayo High School in 2014 as a track and field athlete. She competed at state meets in the open 200 and relays.
“It is so important for me to be here because playing a game that’s so hard teaches you how far your limits are,” Wade said in a CBS promo of the show. “And to have an experience that pushes you in so many different realms will be, I think, so powerful coming out of the game to realize what you’re really capable of.”
While she is a longtime fan of the show, Wade’s push to join the show came after her best friend Kalie passed away about two years ago. Previous "Survivor" cast members, including Stephenie, Cirie, Parv and Natalie, have also inspired her over the years, according to Parade .
“My best friend died two years ago, and the experience has given me drive to pursue my dreams, grit to get through unpleasant experiences and compassion for other people’s unseen challenges. All three will fuel my 'Survivor' success,” Wade said.
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“(Kalie) inspires me to be a bold, brave, badass person in everything that I do,” Wade said. “She was all those things and more, and I am inspired to live in a way that would make her proud.”
She is a management consultant in Chicago with finance and economics degrees. As a high school student, Wade was involved in the National Honor Society, soccer, intramural basketball, track and field, student government, Key Club, robotics club and tennis. She is the daughter of John and Margaret Wade.
Wade also enjoys biking, working out and playing beach volleyball.
With her knowledge of the game, people skills and observation skills, Wade hopes to be the last one standing, she shared with Parade.
“I think working in a male-dominated field has really taught me how to work with a lot of different personalities that kind of have different views on what they think of me coming in. They might be very open-minded and cool about it but they might also be more traditional and not accustomed to seeing a young gal at work with them,” Wade said. “I think figuring out how to win over people’s trust and what I can bring to the table is valuable for 'Survivor.'”
Two other contestants of the 18, Carolyn Wiger and Frannie Marin, are from St. Paul. "Survivor" will be available to watch on the CBS network, the CBS app, and Paramount+.
The Trust Project
