Eva Erickson is showing she’s a force to be reckoned with beyond “Survivor.” Erickson, who was born in St. Paul and grew up in Eagan, is the first openly autistic contestant on the long-running CBS series.
In episode five of this season, she shared her condition with a story that drove host Jeff Probst to tears.
This past weekend, she posted on Instagram, slamming Robert F. Kennedy Jr.‘s comments that suggested people with autism can’t do things like hold a job, go on dates or play baseball. Kennedy, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, later amended his position, saying he was referring only to those with severe autism.
“RFK Jr. can kick rocks,” Erickson said in a post over the weekend in which she shared pictures of herself hanging out with her boyfriend and playing sports. “I know what I’m capable of. People with autism are stronger than he believes and I’m proud to represent this community.”
Erickson, 23, proved her mettle long before joining season 48 of the TV series. She was the first woman to play on the men’s ice hockey club at Georgia Tech. She is captain of the men’s hockey club at Brown University, where she is a doctoral candidate in the School of Engineering.
In a separate post from the weekend, Erickson announced that she is selling Fiji Hockey Club T-shirts, a nod to the shooting locale for “Survivor.” For every sale, Erickson is donating $5 to Minnesota Special Hockey, which gives kids with autism and other special needs the chance to hit the ice in an environment built for them.
“I hope I can inspire others to embrace their autism diagnosis and know there is nothing wrong with autism,” she said while wearing a hockey jersey. “It is something amazing and should be celebrated.”
Erickson is among nine of the original 18 “Survivor” contestants for this season that still remain in contention. To see if she can hold on, watch the newest episode at 7 p.m. Wednesday on CBS.
