Survivor Contestant Kristina Mills 

Most moms face tough challenges: juggling work, family, and maybe the occasional soccer practice meltdown. Kristina Mills signed up for something a little more intense. The 36-year-old mom, Edmond resident and MBA career coach joined the cast of Survivor Season 49.

“I wanted to return to myself,” Mills said. “I have two kids, 4 and 5, just ten months apart. I lost my mom, went through postpartum, and I felt like they deserved more than I was giving. I could either stay stuck or challenge myself and come out the other side happier, healthier, and more present for them.”

She was watching Season 45 with her husband when the idea sparked. “There were two contestants, Caleb and Emily, and I really saw their journey,” she said. “I was in a dark spot in my life, and it gave me hope. I thought, maybe I should go on Survivor too.”

That thought turned into action. Mills applied once, then again after life threw her curveballs. Soon, she was swapping her office chair for a bamboo shelter.

Her preparation process was equal parts physical and mental. “I was most concerned about the physical part,” she said, laughing. “You can’t tell now, but I used to be a cheerleader. At 36 and after two kids, you lose a bit of that. Mentally, I felt ready. I love puzzles, and I had a great village at home taking care of my kids, so I wasn’t worried about them. Physically, I wanted to see how far I could push myself.”

Her biggest strategy didn’t involve fire-starting skills or secret alliances. It came down to people. “My secret weapon is that I get along with literally anybody,” she said. “In my job, I work with people from 19 to past 60, from all kinds of backgrounds and beliefs. That’s been huge in building relationships, and I think it carried over out there too.”

As for what viewers won’t see? Mills wishes they could feel the reality of the environment. “You hear people joke that maybe contestants get food snuck in,” she said. “But no. It’s real. You’re not eating unless you catch it. I’d never even been camping before, so that was a whole other challenge.”

When asked to define a win in her book, Kristina laughed, “Of course a million dollars would be nice. But the real win was personal. I always felt like I had this invisible weight on me,” she said. “I wanted my kids to see it lifted. I wanted to come back a different person. That’s the real prize.”

Fans can watch her journey unfold when Survivor Season 49 premieres September 24 at 7 p.m. Central on CBS and Paramount+.

“I’m just excited to tune in with everyone else and watch the adventure we went through,” Mills said. “It was real, it was raw, and I’m proud to represent my family, as well as Edmond and OKC.”