A FRIEND of late Survivor contestant Ralph Kiser has exclusively told The Sun that she could tell something was bothering him just days before his death.
Kiser was 56 years old when he unexpectedly died on Wednesday morning after suffering a heart attack.
His friend, Kimberly Hess, has paid tribute to the Virginia-based farmer who competed on the 22nd season of Survivor.
She told The Sun: “I met him at the auction that he owns. He is a very good man and a very nice person.
“He tries to help people out when he can – in the last auction he had we all had fun and a good time and he did something very special for me.
“He bought me a Bush guard for my truck he knew I wanted it. I told him he didn’t have to, but he did anyway.
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“That’s real true friendship between me and Ralph – I’m going miss him very much.”
Kimberly last saw Ralph on Friday, when she was at his auction house.
Reminiscing on how he was, she said: “He was ok to me, but I can tell something was bothering him.
“He was frustrated because numbers were messed up at the auction, but we helped him out.”
When she learned about Ralph’s passing, Kimberly said she was “shocked and didn’t want to believe it.”
Ralph’s nephew, George Kiser, told The Sun that the reality star died around 3.15am, leaving friends and family members shocked.
“He was a hard working man, and a damn good hunter,” George said.
Ralph first appeared on Survivor in 2011 as a member of the Zapatera tribe.
The Virginia native – who was best known for his cheerful personality – came eighth in the CBS competition, and was the second-to-last man standing from the Zapateras.
In his CBS bio, Ralph described himself as “determined, strong-willed and stubborn,” and said he felt “inspired” by his farm.
“I’ve been at it all my life. I’m always amazed at my animals – how they grow and survive,” he said at the time.
“Being able to watch the circle of life go around and be a part of it is a very satisfying adventure that I never get tired of.”
Ralph added that it was a life-long ambition of his to appear on the grueling reality show.
“I’ve wanted to be on the show for years and knew one day I’d get my chance,” he said.
“I want to be a hometown hero for the folks back home!”
At the start of his season, Ralph formed an alliance with five other Zapatera members to target villain Russell Hantz.
Russell was returning to the show alongside his nemesis “Boston Rob” Mariano.
Ralph’s tribe won several challenges, leading to them throwing a challenge in a bid to get rid of Russell.
However, Zapatera then went on to lose three of the next four immunity challenges, giving Rob and Ometepe the upper hand.
Ralph won a Redemption Island duel after being voted out, leading to the final elimination of former NFL player Steve Wright.
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Steve was the only Zapatera to outlast Ralph on the island.
Ralph lost his Redemption Island duel an episode later, leading to him becoming the fourth member of the jury.
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