Mitch Guerra Opens Up About His Life-Changing Experience on Survivor

Published: June 3, 2025

Mitch Guerra, the first-ever competitor with a stutter on Survivor, has spoken exclusively to PEOPLE about his journey on the show. The season 48 finalist attended the Stuttering Association for the Young (SAY) gala in New York City on June 2, where he shared his story.

Grateful for the Opportunity

Guerra expressed his gratitude to the Survivor team for seeing him as a whole person, beyond his stutter. He said, "I think what makes it so special is that from [host] Jeff Probst to everyone on that team, they saw me as a whole human. They saw me [as] Mitch."

A Dream Come True

Guerra, who has been a fan of the show since he was 10 years old, said that competing on Survivor was a dream come true. He added, "It's just wild how, by me choosing to chase my dreams, that it has encouraged other people to go out and choose their dreams as well."

Words of Wisdom

Guerra shared his advice for people who stutter and those who don't, saying, "I think just regardless of who you're interacting with, take a moment to be fully present. You don't ever want to feel like you're closing off someone, and I felt that a whole bunch growing up."