Chris Daugherty

In the end, Daugherty beat out Tanner in a 5–2 vote to become the Sole Survivor. He gained the votes of Masters, Crittenden, Slaby, Berry and Orlins and only lost the votes of Lee and Cusack. Many of his votes came from female jury members who were able to look past his gender and recognize his strong gameplay against the unpopular and controversial Tanner, whom he was well-aware had made many enemies in the game.

As of 2012, Daugherty was still working for ODOT, as a project inspector.

In 2007, Daugherty was mentioned by author Lamont Lindstrom in his essay about Vanuatuan life and culture. In it, Lindstrom suggests that Daugherty's victory, despite being outnumbered six-against-one at the Final Seven, has many parallels with particular myths of matriarchy in which women ruled ancient societies until the female ruling class tore itself apart, thus allowing the men to take power.

After his appearance on Survivor, Daugherty returned to his home in South Vienna, Ohio, and his construction job at ODOT. On February 13, 2005, he married his fiancée Lorie Groves (who made a brief appearance on the show during the "loved ones visit") in Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway. That same year, Lorie was diagnosed with breast cancer. The Daughertys fought her disease together, and after her recovery, they became involved in various forms of charity work, helping out cancer patients and autistic children.

Also in 2005, Daugherty asked for vacation time from ODOT to participate in a European promotional tour for Survivor. As he had too little vacation time left, he submitted a doctor's note that claimed Daugherty needed one month off from work due to anxiety and depression. He was suspended from work for 20 days without pay after investigators discovered it was just an excuse to appear at Survivor-related activities abroad. ODOT has offered to reduce the suspension to 15 days if he agreed not to file an appeal, but he refused. After disputing the suspension, an Ohio arbitrator ruled in Daugherty's favor and he was reimbursed his pay for the 20-day suspension.

In 2004, Daugherty competed on Survivor: Vanuatu, the ninth season of the American reality TV series Survivor. As part of the all-male Lopevi tribe, Daugherty endangered his position in the game in the first immunity challenge. Daugherty failed to cross the balance-beam in the challenge, which led to victory for the all-female Yasur tribe. The more athletic members of the Lopevi tribe campaigned for Daugherty to be the first to go, but he formed an alliance of unathletic men—sometimes referred to as the "Fat Five"—led by Lea "Sarge" Masters and also consisting of himself, Travis "Bubba" Sampson, Rory Freeman, and Chad Crittenden. This alliance controlled the numbers and targeted the younger players, voting out Brook Geraghty at the first Tribal Council. Lopevi then went on to win immunity in the second episode.

Christopher Daugherty (born August 29, 1970) is an American construction worker and reality TV personality known for winning Survivor: Vanuatu, the ninth season of the U.S. series, Survivor.

Daugherty was born August 29, 1970, and grew up in West Jefferson, Ohio. He attended Madison-Plains High School near London, Ohio, and then attended Kentucky Christian College for two years. Some of the first jobs he ever held include heavy equipment operator, for his father's drainage company, and sporting goods store employee. He eventually went to work for the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) as a road builder.