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Survivor contestant Brady Booker lops off part of his thumb with a machete

The incident was shown on Wednesday’s episode of the long-running TV series, filmed in Fiji earlier this year.

Published Oct 01, 2026  •  Last updated 4 hours ago  •  2 minute read

Brady Booker reportedly accidentally lopped off a portion of his thumb while chopping wood with a machete in Wednesday's episode of Survivor 51. Photo by Scott Duncan /CBS

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Given that he is a professional wrestler by vocation, Brady Booker is used to dealing with small and large measures of pain. 

People reported that the ‘Survivor’ 51 contestant accidentally lopped off a portion of his thumb while chopping wood with a machete.

The incident was shown on Wednesday’s episode of the long-running TV series, filmed in Fiji earlier this year.  

“I’m missing a quarter of my thumb,” he said on the show to his teammates, while blood oozed from the open wound.  

Professionally known as Bodhi Hayward, he signed with World Wrestling Entertainment in 2021. He performed in the NXT brand before he was released from his duties. 

Show host Jeff Probst says the injury was not staged, Entertainment Weekly reported. 

“Legit. Chopped. It. Off. As in, no longer attached to his thumb,” Probst wrote. “The crazy part is that even though Brady was in obvious pain, with blood pouring out, he was still aware enough to ask his tribemates to try and find the tip of the thumb in the dirt!” 

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“They found it and put it in a shell to save for medical.” 

Eventually Booker located the missing portion of his thumb while fellow cast member Pat Cannaday was trying to settle the emotional man down.  

“I’m just trying to calm Brady down and also holding a portion of his thumb in a little shell,” Cannaday said during one of the show’s confessionals. “It was an experience unlike any other.” 

Getting beyond the momentary pain, Booker’s immediate thoughts revolved around his ability to stay in the game.  

“Did I just knock myself out of the game?” Booker asked a show producer. 

“No risk of having to pull him from the game,” Probst wrote in his journal. “Brady had a great sense of humour as he pleaded with our medical team to wrap the piece of thumb and put it in a cooler to save for him after the show so he could take it home. Talk about a one-of-a-kind ‘Survivor’ souvenir. Most players are happy with a treemail.” 

The doctor wrapped up the wound and administered antibiotics; Booker was good to go.  

“When doc told me I can stay in this game, it was like new life,” Booker said. “Sure, it’s a little numb, but I can touch all the fingers, I can touch the far end, I can clap, I can grab. Sure, brodie, pain exists, but I would rather feel pain than nothing at all.” 

ganderson@postmedia.com

WARNING: Video is of graphic nature

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