PIA Miranda may have won this year’s season of Australian Survivor: Champions V Contenders but WA’s Luke Toki has proven he really is the ‘People’s Champion’.
Devastation not only consumed Toki, of Baldivis, when he bombed out of the immunity challenge on Monday night, but it also broke the hearts of Australian Survivor fans around the country.
It opened the door for Miranda, aka ‘the Smiling Assassin’, to send ‘the King of the Jungle’ out of the game in fourth place with her vote, going on to win the $500,000 prize in Tuesday night’s finale.
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However Toki’s charismatic personality, entertaining and strategic game play plus family struggles have been rewarded by viewer generosity who have ensured he has not walked away from his second Australian Survivor experience empty handed.
Australian Survivor fan Dave Skow organised a GoFundMe page on Monday after Toki’s torch was snuffed.
“Whilst Luke stumbled near the finish line and was voted out in the top four, true Survivor fans will recognise that he is the greatest Australian player ever to grace our screens” Skow said on the GoFundMe page.
“So let’s rally behind this Aussie legend and change this awesome young family’s life.”
It reached its ambitious target of $500,000 by Wednesday and on Thursday was at $550,460 with all funds going to support the Toki family.
Luke and his wife Mary’s two young sons Lennox (7) and Nate (5) have autism and his daughter Madeline, born six weeks before Toki left for Fiji to compete on Australian Survivor: Champions V Contenders, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis.
“A million thanks to everyone who has donated and taken the time to send what has been thousands upon thousands of messages of love and support,” Skow said.
“As we reach $550,000, the decision has been made to close the donations on the GoFundMe page. Luke and Mary have decided that anything over what would have been Luke’s prize money on Survivor ($500,000) will be given back to the community (exact details yet to be confirmed).
“The Toki’s will also be posting a video for all of the fans and contributors which will be updated to the GFM page – keep an eye out for that.
“The past 60 hours since the fundraising page was created has been mind blowing and has surpassed everyone’s wildest expectations, but collectively we have been able to do an incredible thing for an incredible family.
“Australia, give yourself a pat on the back. We done good.”
Fans can still support Toki by purchasing his CreepinCo range of signature shirts, hoodies, phone cases and baby onesies at etsy.com/au/shop/CreepinCo.
And with Ten’s announcement of Australian Survivor: All Stars in 2020, promising 24 of the biggest game players back for redemption, reward and revenge, it may not be the last time we see Toki.
