What happened to Cory's daughter? 'The Challenge: Cutthroat' Episode 7's heartbreaking exit explained
‘The Challenge’ Season 42 Episode 7 featured the remaining contestants from teams Blue, Gray, and Orange gearing up for the Daily Challenge. But before that, the host asked the three teams whether any of them wanted to stage a 'mutiny' and choose a new captain. While everyone else stayed silent, Team Blue’s Nelson spoke. He shared his concerns about the current team captain and explained why he deserved to be the new captain. However, he didn’t have enough votes. “Unfortunately, TJ, all I have is Cara’s (vote),” noted Nelson. Hence, Josh continued as Team Blue’s captain.
The host then introduced the challenge, 'Perfect Match,' which featured a lake with 30 puzzle pieces, each weighing 80 pounds. Each team could find and carry two puzzle pieces at a time. The host pointed out that they would be running 5 miles during the challenge, and whichever team solved the puzzle would win. Later, he revealed a major twist: the entire team would be 'tied together' during the task. After an exciting series of events, Team Orange won the challenge. As a result, Team Blue’s captain, Josh, and Team Gray’s captain, Cory, were asked to send one of their team’s male participants into the elimination arena.
Things took a turn when, before the elimination challenge, Team Gray’s Cory learned that his daughter, Maya, was being transported to Dallas for emergency medical treatment. He talked to his long-time partner Taylor over the phone, and then decided to leave. In a confessional, he shared that his daughter had already undergone two open-heart surgeries, calling it the hardest time of his life. He also explained that her collapsed lung was a result of her congenital heart defect, tricuspid atresia. After the other participants learned about the situation, emotions ran high, and Cory thanked everyone as he said his goodbyes.
After leaving ‘The Challenge’, Cory shared a post on Instagram describing what he and his family went through. He wrote, “This wasn’t easy. It was scary, exhausting, & a nightmare… but she reminded me every single day what real strength looks like. All I could do was hold her hand, pray, and be there through every tear, every procedure, every long night.” At the elimination arena, the host talked about Cory’s unexpected exit and said that there wouldn’t be an elimination in Episode 7. He also announced that Team Blue was safe, but Team Gray still had an important decision to make, as they had to select a new captain. Cassidy and Adrienne both nominated themselves for the position. However, the vote ended in a tie, and the host gave them a night to make their final decision.
