‘I’ve never been so proud’: 59-year-old Sue Smey talks ‘making the record books’ on ‘Survivor 47’

Sue Smey might not have secured the title of “Sole Survivor” and the million-dollar check at the end of Survivor 47 after failing to receive a single vote at the Final Tribal Council, but it is safe to say that she will go down in Survivor history as one of the greatest “mothers” — literally and figuratively (as Teeny Chirichillo would say) — to ever play the game.

If you need a refresher, the 59-year-old — who pretended to be a 45-year-old throughout Survivor 47 — had a great deal of success on the Emmy Award-winning series, despite falling short to “Sole Survivor” Rachel LaMont and runner-up Sam Phalen at the Final Tribal Council. Although she was “severely sick,” Sue’s game was impressive (to say the least). Not only did she find a Hidden Immunity Idol during the pre-merge portion of the game, she also became the oldest woman to win an Individual Immunity Challenge AND the oldest woman to make it to the Final Tribal Council during the post-merge portion of the game. Did someone say LEGENDARY?

Needless to say, the flight school owner defied all the odds throughout Survivor 47, now “making the record books” of the show we know and love. “I know that you spoke a lot before, during, and after the season about wanting to be on [Survivor] to show your generation that they can go play, age be damned. So how do you look at making the record books with your run?,” reality television reporter Mike Bloom asked Sue in an exclusive interview with Parade. Smey could not help but gush about how happy she is with her Survivor experience (despite losing the million-dollar prize).

“I just want to inspire people”

“I’ve never been so proud of myself,” Sue prefaced, prior to delving into the details of what it was like achieving such impressive feats on Survivor, especially as an almost 60-year-old.

I’m going to be 60 next year, so you’re not looking at what life you have left to live. Sometimes you’re just like, ‘Wow, I’m closer to death.’ I mean, anyone near this age, your brain just goes that direction, and I’m like, ‘I just want to inspire people that there’s so much more of life to live.’ Your age is just a number.”

She then transitioned to some specifics about her Survivor journey, adding that “the fact that [she] could go out there, compete on Survivor and have records … says a lot for [her] generation.”

The New York native added that people have reached out to her post-show, “telling [her] they’re inspired, and now their mom is going and doing stuff,” whether that be trying new things, working out, “or just living life a little bit more.” How sweet is that?

Sue concluded the conversation by stating that “there’s a whole bunch of badass older people out there, and they need to know they’re badass!” and we seriously could not agree more.

Nevertheless, to see the “badass, fearless, adrenaline junkie” fight for the title of “Sole Survivor” and the million-dollar check, you may stream the entirety of Survivor 47 via Paramount Plus as we speak. As arguably the best season of Survivor‘s “New Era” — with host Jeff Probst deeming one castaway “one of the best overall players to ever compete on Survivor” — you will not regret it.