During my interviews on television and in the newspapers I would always mention “The Yellow Dumptruck” as one of the things I will never forget about my Survivor experience in Koh Tarutao.

In last Thursday’s episode the vehicle was unceremoniously presented as the rescue truck that would whisk John away to safety and medical assistance after his collapse.

I would like to share a couple of behind-the-scenes details with all of you.

Before John lay down and slipped into a semi delirious state, back at base camp everyone was doing their everyday chores and duties.

I remember I was reading up on the next few challenges and watching a few of the past episodes of Survivor when I heard the call. “Si John nahimatay!”

Now mind you it was a particularly calm day with some people enjoying their day off, strolling on the beach, playing ultimate Frisbee or Beach Volleyball, but once the report came in everyone including our Thai film partners dropped everything and made sure that they contributed to the rescue and evacuation of John.

No one panicked but everyone moved briskly as if it had been rehearsed before.

Doctors Zoe and Sam, our resident Medical Team and The Sandugo, our riggers for stunts that doubled as the Rescue Team, didn’t think twice about running the entire distance of several kilometers just to get to the Jarakay Camp in time.

Then, as if on cue as they were about to begin their life saving sprint, the Yellow Dump Truck appears on the horizon. The next events were seen on television.

I waited anxiously back at base camp as John was being rescued. Our Thai partners joined us in prayer knowing that from Day One anything can go wrong.

We prayed that the team would get to John in time and ferry him to the hospital still quite a distance away by speedboat.

Then I saw it fast approaching, The Yellow Dumptruck with John and the entire rescue team. I assisted in alighting him from the truck, down the stairs and into the speedboat.

At that moment I was no longer Paolo the host asking Castaways if they are ready for a challenge but I was simply Paolo asking John if he could hear me and if he was okay.

I got a thumbs up from him and a slight nod. Unable to speak, he could only look at me, at all of us, and say thank you with his eyes and his faint smile.

He’s going to be okay, I thought.

Since then the Yellow Dumptruck has etched itself in my memory not simply as a machine that once carried garbage and construction equipment.

Not just the vehicle we hopped on to every single day taking us to challenges or to Tribal Council across the rough terrain and the narrow roads of Koh Tarutao.

It is now the Yellow Dumptruck that at one point in it’s history helped save a life.