User:AMK152/Russell Hantz

Russell Hantz (born October 10, 1973) is an Oil Tankering Service Owner from Dayton Texas. He built his business from scratch, and worked hard to provide for his wife and four children. Russell was a contestant on the American reality television series, Survivor, becoming the runner-up of its ninteenth season, Survivor: Samoa. He was defeated by Natalie White by a vote of 7-2.

Despite the fact that he was not crowned Sole Survivor, Hantz was awarded the Sprint Player of the Season and the $100,000 prize that goes with it. At the end of the finale, host Jeff Probst announced the twentieth season of Survivor, Survivor: Heroes vs Villains, which Hantz competed in as a villain. He placed second runner-up losing to Sandra Diaz-Twine the sole survivor and Parvati Shallow in a 6-3-0 vote. For the second season in a row, Hantz won Sprint's Player of the Season title.

Hantz also returned for Survivor: Redemption Island where he, alongside Rob Mariano, were placed on opposing tribes. Hantz was placed on the Zapetera tribe. His tribe mates threw the immunity challenge on day 8 and voted him out that night. At Redemption Island, he was defeated by Matt Elrod, who would go on to win numerous other duels. His overall placing was 17th. In his 'final words' he said that this would be his last time playing survivor; however, at the reunion show he told Jeff Probst to 'keep his number'.

In season 23 of Survivor, Hantz's nephew, Brandon Hantz, was brought on the show as a castaway. Brandon went far in the game, but he was voted out after giving up his immunity idol to fellow contestant Albert. Russell has decried Brandon's poor gameplay, stating at the live reunion show that "he has not done one thing right."