Mike Gabler On Winning "Survivor" & Donating $1M Prize To Charity

<div>While there have been veterans who have competed in the reality show: <em>Survivor: Season 43</em>, never has there been a non-veteran winner who gave away the entirety of the $1,000,000 prize to veteran organizations. Until now. In this week’s Team Never Quit Podcast, meet Mike Gabler who did just that. What an engaging conversation Mike and Marcus have, as Mike shares some of the behind the scenes stories related to the program. Mike, a Texas native, comes from a family of veterans, but he serves his country in a significantly different way. He is a heart valve specialist, working with top surgeons and cardiologists - a multicultural group of people with a common focus - to take care of the patient.<br> <br> At age 43, Mike was the oldest contestant of the season, and the second oldest competitor in the history of Survivor. The lack of food and nourishment was really getting to him, yet he excelled in individual competition. He explained that he gained strength by thinking about the military members who are currently fighting, as well as those who’ve passed, and who’ve sacrificed so much for our nation.<br> <br> “I’m gonna donate the entire prize – the entire million dollars – in my father’s name, Robert Gabler, who’s a Green Beret, to Veterans in need who are struggling from psychiatric problems, PTSD, and to curb the suicide epidemic.” “Lot of heroes served in our military. We do this for fun; they do this for real.”<br> <br> Thumbnail Image:<br> - CBS via Getty Images<br> <br> <strong>In this episode you will hear:<br> </strong>• Everybody on Survivor likes Type 2 fun, because that’s what it was. (6:33)<br> • We all became really close. We’re friends to this day. (6:38)<br> • I went into the game at 200 pounds, and came out at 176. (8:41)<br> • One day Ryan came back with a 2 foot clam. There were 2 pieces as big as 12oz filet mignons, and tasted just like scallops. (10:29)<br> • [At first] it’s a punch in the face, but after about a week you start assimilating. (19:43)<br> • [Growing up] whatever your