New details have come to light surrounding the death of Rex Culpepper, the former Syracuse University quarterback and son of Survivor players Brad and Monica Culpepper.
Rex died of injuries sustained in a dirt bike accident on Saturday, March 14, according to the Tampa Bay Times. The accident reportedly occurred in Georgia, but Rex, who was 28, was one of the top quarterbacks in Florida during his high school days.
Rex’s fiancée, Savanna, confirmed the former athlete’s death on Monday, March 16, in a heartfelt tribute via Instagram.
“No one expects to meet the love of your life and lose them in only 6 short years after meeting,” she wrote. “Rex didn’t always believe in soulmates but towards the end he told me that he didn’t realize what having a soulmate felt like until we felt like extensions of each other.”
She continued, “And one thing about us is that we lived every single day like it was our last. We did every little thing that we set our minds to, between learning new skills and hobbies, and traveling to new places, there was never any free time with us and not a moment spent apart. I don’t regret a single day in our 6 years.”
Rex was best known at Syracuse for his comeback after being diagnosed with testicular cancer during his freshman year. He underwent chemotherapy and suited up for the Orange’s spring game while undergoing treatment. Though he did not expect to play in the game, he got the ball on the final drive of the game and led his team to a touchdown.
“It just felt surreal,” Rex said after the game, per Syracuse.com. “It was spectacular. I’ll never forget that.”
He was declared cancer-free that June and was able to play his sophomore season.
The Syracuse football program acknowledged Rex’s death in a statement via X on Monday.
“Our Orange family mourns the loss of Rex Culpepper, who passed away this weekend at the age of 28,” the statement read. “Rex lived his life with endless passion, having overcome cancer at the age of 20 while playing for the Orange. Appearing in 30 games, Rex played football as fierce as he lived life. Our hearts are with the Culpepper family & all those who loved him.”
Rex’s parents, Brad and Monica, played two seasons of Survivor each and are the only couple in the show’s history to each be named a runner-up of their season. His brother, Judge, played college football at Penn State and Toledo, and his sister, Honor, played basketball at NYU.
