The mortifying moment a US Survivor challenge went horribly wrong

The Survivor series is known for putting contestants through the toughest of challenges, but the premiere of the 37th season of US Survivor this week saw a challenge take a very frightening turn.

Contestant Pat Cusack was in seriously bad shape after a freak accident out on the water, though the choppy boat ride back to camp following the challenge was not caught on camera.

By the time cameras were able to start rolling, Cusack was being carried on a stretcher and moaning in pain.

“It can’t end this way,” he said as fellow contestants began crying. “I can’t go out this way!”

“The seas are really rough, and the boat slams down on one of the waves, and we hear a crack, and at first I thought Pat had just hurt his back, maybe tweaked it a bit,” contestant Gabby Pascuzzi said during the episode.

“And then Jeff [Probst] arrived, and we all groaned, because it means something really bad has happened.”

Probst, Survivor’s host, was informed about Cusack’s injuries by the medical staff and made his assessment.

Cusack, a 40-year-old maintenance manager from New York and part of the David tribe in this David and Goliath-themed season, lost the chance to live out his underdog story after Probst uttered that one word you don’t want to hear as a Survivor contestant — “helicopter.”

“Brother, I’m afraid there is no other choice. We have to look out for you, Pat,” Probst told the injured contestant.

“That’s the No. 1 job of our medical team is to take care of you. Let’s bring in the helicopter, guys.”

Later in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Cusack, who suffered no permanent damage, said he didn’t remember the details of the terrifying incident.

“From what I was told from other castaways, we hit a big wave and we landed back in the water, and I woke up in a helicopter,” he said.

“We went up on the wave, and came back down, and myself and (contestant) Carl — he smacked his head and I compressed my spine.”

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