The Mobile County cattle rancher who won TV's million-dollar "Survivor" prize Sunday night told the Press-Register on Monday that he was as surprised as anyone at the outcome.
At least in part, said James "J.T." Thomas Jr., 24, a native of Samson, Ala., who in 2007 moved to the Gulf Coast to manage the B.E. Cattle farm on Eliza Jordan Road.
He thought he might have squeaked out a win in the reality show competition that was actually staged months ago in Brazil, he acknowledged, but he didn't know how solidly he had it locked up until the jury's votes were read on live television.
"I especially had no idea that vote would be unanimous," Thomas told the Press-Register Monday from New York, where the live portion of the "Survivor" finale originated the preceding evening.
Thomas added, "I was expecting a four-to-three vote and hoping I was going to have four. I was very shocked at how it turned out."
On "Survivor: Tocantins -- The Brazilian Highlands," the game began with 16 contestants -- called "castaways" in "Survivor" parlance. One by one, individuals were eliminated with each episode since February. Only Thomas and Stephen Fishbach, 29, of New York, his longest ally in the game, remained at the end.
SURVIVOR PHOTO GALLERY FEATURING J.T. THOMAS
(For more on Thomas' "Survivor" experience, see Tuesday's Press-Register.)