Where is the winner of 'Survivor' Season 45 now? Dee Valladares reveals how she plans to spend whopping prize money
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'Survivor' Season 45 concluded after an intense display of strategies, gameplay, and contestants fighting for the title of 'Sole Survivor'.
Dee Valladares, the first-generation Cuban American won the Sole Survivor title after defeating Katurah Topps, Jake O'Kane, Austin Li Coon, and Julie Alley.
Dee's strong connection with her family was evident upon her return from filming 'Survivor' Season 45, as she received a warm welcome from her parents at the airport.
She captioned the emotional post and began it by stating the date, "May 14, 2023, When I landed in LA from Fiji and got my phone back after 5 weeks, the first thing I did was text my family group chat. I lied and said I didn’t win but that I still had the greatest experience of my life regardless. They believed me."
She further added, "I wanted to feel their embrace and celebrate in person rather than a quick FaceTime call. So glad I waited. What a whirlwind. I couldn’t wait to finally post this. On to my next adventure."
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Following the filming of 'Survivor' Season 45, Dee devoted a significant amount of time to her family in LA. Notably, she was frequently spotted relishing moments with her pet dog and partaking in delightful walks in the vibrant locale of Miami, Florida.
Apart from that, she also spent time with her brother Ozzy Jay in the summer of 2023 where they played basketball and went on boat rides.
Despite the absence of post-show pictures featuring Austin Li Coon, Dee's rumored boyfriend from 'Survivor' Season 45, their continued connection is suggested by their interactions on social media.
Are Austin Li Coon and Dee Valladares still together?
During the latter half of 'Survivor' season 45, a romantic connection started to blossom between team members Dee Valladares and Austin Li Coon.
Following several episodes filled with thrilling tasks and whirlwind romance, the two found themselves sitting next to one another on the finale episode verbally battling it out for the title of 'Survivor'.
Dee won the game with 3 out of 5 votes of the jury defeating Austin, however, Austin didn't seem too sad.
Jeff Probst, the host of the show even stated that Austin and Dee reminded him of the romance between ex-contestants Amber and Rob Mariano, who met on the program and later married and had children.
Some interpreted this to suggest that Jeff knew more than he was revealing about Austin and Dee's situation.
After the finale when asked about the status of their relationship, Dee told Entertainment Weekly, "This has been a whirlwind of emotions and we have decided to keep it low-key for now. It's been too crazy and it's getting crazier. So we've decided to keep it low-key for now, only because it's been insane."
Austin also responded similarly and stated, "We kind of want to keep that a little private for now, just because things have been so crazy." It's unknown whether Austin and Dee are still together, but some clues suggest they are.
For starters, Austin and Dee follow each other's family members on social media and are constantly sharing and liking posts. This could indicate that they are in a relationship.
'Survivor' Season 45 winner Dee Valladares wants to invest the winning amount
When Entertainment Weekly asked about what Dee Valladares would be doing with the winning amount of $ 1 million and whether she would be planning a vacation with it. Dee replied she would use the winning amount consciously.
She expressed the intention to pay some family's debt with the winning amount. She stated, "I am just going to pay off some debt for my family and then going to invest it and purchase a property and then triple it and 10 x it. I'm trying to make more."
Indeed, the 27-year-old entrepreneur does have to spend the money in such a way that it would be beneficial in the long run.
Will Dee Valladares be seen in the upcoming seasons of 'Survivor'?
It's a well-established practice for former 'Survivor' contestants to be invited back to participate in 'Survivor' after their debut seasons. When Dee Valladares was asked by Entertainment Weekly about playing the game again, she responded positively.
Dee said, "I'm there. I was there yesterday. Call me. I would love to play again. I feel like it would be so much more fun to play a second time just because you know what to expect and it just will be a lot more fun and way more cutthroat I think."
Despite facing initial challenges for initial weeks on the show as she was starving herself, she enjoyed the overall experience and would be eager to participate for the second time.
Tune in to CBS to watch 'Survivor' Season 46 premiering on Wednesday, February 28 at 8 pm ET.