Bruce Kanegai

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Bruce Kanegai [ˈkɑnəˌgaɪ] (born December 17, 1947) is a Japanese-American karate instructor with Shotokan Karate of America ^[1] and high school art teacher currently living in Simi Valley, California. Currently teaching at Simi Valley High School An Eagle Scout and fifth-degree "Godan" black belt, he was a contestant on Survivor: Panama, the 12th season of the Survivor reality television show.

[edit] On Survivor

Kanegai was originally a member of the La Mina tribe, but in Episode 2 the 15 remaining contestants were split into two tribes of seven members - Kanegai was not selected and therefore moved to Exile Island for the remainder of that episode. After the Casaya tribe went to tribal council Kanegai joined their tribe (replacing Melinda Hyder, the second contestant voted off). He was exiled again shortly after joining Casaya, during Episode 3. Up to his departure on Episode 10, he had received just two votes in Tribal Council, both in Episode 5. Going into the first episode, he was picked as the favorite survivor by 21.47% of poll respondents on the Survivor website at CBS.com, and was the most popular. Prior to Episode 10, however, he was the least popular of the remaining contestants, with just 5.05% of all votes.

He became the second Survivor ever to leave the game due to a medical emergency. (The first was Michael Skupin.) During the game, he began to suffer serious pains in his stomach. On night 25, seen in Episode 10 on April 20, 2006, he was MEDEVACed from the game. The next day, Jeff Probst came to the Gitanos tribe to reveal that Kanegai was officially out of the game. He had suffered blockages to his colon and his bladder, but was expected to recover.

Bruce was shown to be a member of the jury during the 11th episode's tribal council. He became the first Survivor participant to be MEDEVACed from the game and then return to the game as a member of the jury.

[edit] Other injuries and accomplishments

Throughout his life, he's had several brushes with death, including being bitten by a rattlesnake while golfing with some friends, walking through a plate glass window, being hit with a boulder and knocked off a cliff, as well as being hit by a car while in Vienna. He has hiked the State of Oregon and Yosemite National Park. He would like a chance to get on The Amazing Race.

Survivors who were never voted out