Survivor 49 contestant Rizo Velovic is the first player of Albanian descent to compete on the U.S. version of Survivor.
Velovic had to grow up quickly, as his parents, who are immigrants, held many jobs. As the eldest child, he handled tasks such as managing taxes, finding a house, and caring for his younger brother.
For most of his childhood, the tech sales professional would babysit his brother, and the TV shows, particularly the reality show “Survivor,“ babysat him in return.
As the show became a big part of his life, the 26-year-old grew up dreaming of being on it. Fast forward to the present, and here he is, finally competing on Survivor 49.
Rizo might be working as a tech salesperson, but his childhood dream was something else. As a toddler, he aspired to be a farmer because his grandfather was one.
But he grew up in New York City, the concrete jungle, where he rarely saw a tree, and then his toddler dream changed.
Rizo Velovic’s Parents Are Both From Albania
The Survivor 49 contestant’s parents moved from Albania to the US. The young couple got married in their home country.
They immigrated to the US to chase a better lifestyle and the American dream of freedom and prosperity. And Rizo was born approximately nine months later.
The family of three settled in a small 500-square-foot apartment in New York. A few years later, his younger brother, Sebastian Velovic, was born.
Moreover, in an interview with Parade, the Survivor contestant revealed that they work blue-collar jobs, meaning they engage in strenuous physical labor rather than office work.
He added, “Specifically, they work as custodians (janitors), so their main job is cleaning buildings.” They still do that challenging yet humble work now.
Furthermore, Rizo shared that once he turned into a teenager, his mom and dad put all the bills and responsibilities on him.
At just 14 years old, they handed him their tax papers and told him to figure it out. He recalled,
"I was a 14-year-old kid. My parents threw the W-2s at me. I’m like, ‘Mom, what the f–k am I supposed to do with this shit?’ And she’s like, ‘You go to school. Figure it out.’ I was like, ‘Bro, what?!’"
-Rizo VelovicHowever, he went online, made calls, and learned how to handle everything on his own.
The sports podcaster doesn’t blame his mom and dad because they were both working two or three jobs as custodians, doing everything they could to provide for him and his younger brother.
Taking on those responsibilities at such a young age made him mature more quickly and taught him independence. The tech sales professional said he feels grateful for that experience. For him, playing Survivor is not just about the game; it’s about the experience.
“And me being here is almost like paying tribute or homage to my parents and showing them that their American dream was for me to fulfill mine. Here I am doing it,” said Rizo.
Rizo Velovic’s Brother Has Autism
In the same interview, Rizo revealed that his younger brother, Sebastian, was diagnosed with autism at a very young age.
He explained that his mom and dad, who came from Eastern Europe, didn’t really understand autism at the time, which made things even harder for the family.
Velovic shared that he doesn’t want to call himself the “golden child,” but he is the child his mother and father relied on to chase the American dream.
While his parents worked and sacrificed to give their children a better life, the reality show contestant carried the extra weight of looking out for his brother.
He said his brother struggles with social cues and doesn’t have many friends, so he became his best friend.
Additionally, Sebastian doesn’t even know he’s on Survivor; he thinks Rizo is away on a work trip. Velovic admitted that helping raise his brother while also growing up himself was a lot to handle.
Rizo went to PTA meetings and helped his brother whenever needed, while also trying to grow up and take care of himself at the same time.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Survivor 49 is set to premiere on September 24, 2025.
- Rizo has not publicly revealed the names of his parents.
- He hosts his own podcast, The RizPod, where he talks about sports.
- Velovic graduated from the University at Albany, SUNY, with a degree in Media Studies.
