Survivor’s Eva Erickson Slams RFK Jr.’s Autism Remarks

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Survivor star Eva Erickson is standing up for her community.

Following remarks made by President Donald Trump’s Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., which sparked controversy, especially his claim that autism “tears apart families,” during a press conference on April 16th, the inaugural openly autistic competitor of CBS’ reality show responded with a counterargument.

In a selfie video posted on Instagram on April 18th, Eva – hailing from Survivor’s season 48 at the tender age of 24 – started by saying, “I want to disprove RFK Jr.’s misconceptions about what an individual with autism can accomplish in their lifetime.

In Erickson’s video, Kennedy mentioned an increase in autism rates among U.S. children, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and stated that some autistic individuals may not be able to hold jobs, play sports like baseball, write poetry, or go on dates.

During Kennedy’s speech, Erickson – a doctoral candidate in engineering at Brown University – shared pictures of herself and her family. These included snapshots from her graduation and her playing hockey for her school’s club team.

In the midst of Kennedy’s talk, Erickson, a Ph.D. student in engineering at Brown, presented photos of herself, her family, and some special moments. These included her graduation day and her playing hockey for her school’s club team.

The Minnesota native responded, “Robert Kennedy Jr. may think he can push me aside, but I stand tall. I am well aware of my abilities, and I am honored to be a voice for the autism community – a group that is far stronger than he might imagine.

TopMob News has reached out to Kennedy for comment but has not heard back.

In response to criticism about his statements, which were made during Autism Awareness Month, the politician explained on Hannity’s show on April 17th that when he mentioned “severe autism” in his previous comments, he was actually referring to the approximately 25% of individuals who have severe forms of autism.

Although the latest CDC report does not specifically mention children with severe autism, characterized by being nonverbal or having limited verbal abilities and an IQ below 50, a 2023 study partially funded by the CDC indicates that approximately one quarter of children diagnosed with autism fall into this category.

During my recent discourse on March 26th, I, as a lifestyle expert, had the profound honor of hosting Jeff Probst. A moment that left both him and our audience in tears was when I shared my personal journey, revealing that I was diagnosed with autism at just one year old.

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The reality TV personality shared this sentiment after overcoming a challenging period, which was triggered by a competition task that was too much for her: “My doctors once told my parents I wouldn’t be able to live on my own.” With the assistance of fellow competitor Joe Hunter, she recovered from an emotional distress. They had informed her that she wouldn’t maintain employment and, at best, could only aim to marry someone else with autism like herself.

And though she has never viewed her autism as a roadblock to success, she still struggles.

She explained, “I experience periods, which I refer to as ‘episodes’, when I become excessively overwhelmed. During these times, I may feel disconnected and lose control over my actions.” She added, “It’s important for everyone with autism to remember they should never be ashamed to seek help and accept it. So, thank you all for being understanding and supportive in this process.

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2025-04-19 02:17