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Bridgeville proud of native 'Survivor'

From staff and wire reports
Tuesday, May 13, 2003
Talk around the region Monday was all about Allegheny County native Jenna Morasca.

The 21-year-old swimsuit model and Bridgeville native garnered the $1 million prize as the winner of CBS' "Survivor."

"I think it's kind of neat because she put Bridgeville on the map," said Carol Masetti, owner of the La Bella Bean Coffee House and Eatery in Bridgeville. She said she watched the show each Thursday with neighbors.

Morasca wasn't expecting to be the newest "Survivor" millionaire when the ballots were finally tallied.

"I'm shocked," she told The Associated Press moments after she was declared winner Sunday night over Matthew Von Ertfelda, 33, a restaurant designer from Washington, D.C., on the live finale of "Survivor: The Amazon."

Morasca's grandmother wasn't as surprised.

"I never knew what the end result would be, but I did have a feeling deep down that she would be the survivor," said Suzanne Morasca, 82, of Scott, Allegheny County.

Morasca said that in December she returned home from her adventure expecting that the sealed vote had gone Von Ertfelda's way: "He embodies everything a survivor is. He's an amazing guy.

"But I'm so proud of myself," she added, "and happy that I won."

On this, the sixth season of CBS' hit adventure game show, it was an upset victory (and a blowout vote) for Morasca , who since "Amazon" premiered in February had been generally regarded as good-looking but spoiled and lazy.

The 6-1 vote for Morasca, sealed since December, was handed down by a jury of seven ousted "Amazon" castaways.

During the months she waited to learn her fate, Morasca said she rested, hit the gym "to get back some of the muscle that I lost," and regained 20 pounds dropped during the rugged ordeal. "I stuffed my face with chocolate," she confided.

For beating 15 others in the competition, which was taped during 39 days last fall in a remote rain forest on the Amazon River, Morasca collects the $1 million prize as "sole survivor." Runner-up Von Ertfelda wins $100,000.

Now what will she do with the money? Pay school loans and take her mom on a vacation, she said. "Then we'll see if there's anything left."

During Sunday's finale, the setting for the next edition of "Survivor" was announced: the Pearl Islands off the coast of Panama. It premieres this fall.


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