Ozzy From 'Survivor' Said He Hit "Rock Bottom" — What Happened to Him on the Show?

Content warning: This article mentions addiction and mental health struggles.

Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers for Season 50, Episode 6 of Survivor.

It's official — Oscar "Ozzy" Lusth will have a say in who wins Season 50 of Survivor. After finding an advantage that sent him to Exile Island, Ozzy was safe from the triple elimination, sealing his place at the final tribal council, either as a contestant or a juror.

This high in Ozzy's Survivor career comes after a series of lows that the reality TV star described as "rock bottom." In fact, Ozzy was surprised that he was allowed to come back on the show for Season 50, given his past. So, what happened to Ozzy, and how did he turn it all around?

Ozzy first graced our screens back in 2006, on Season 13 of Survivor. He returned for Seasons 16, 23, and 34, making the iconic Season 50 his fifth attempt to win the game. Despite being undeniably good at challenges, Ozzy admits that his social game is sometimes lacking, which has barred him from the million thus far. While the contestant is determined to play differently, he needed to make some personal changes first, which he feels will help him on the show.

The past year has proven difficult for Ozzy, as he encountered several setbacks at once, creating a perfect storm that wreaked havoc on his life. Ozzy had worked as a manager in various restaurants in Los Angeles for roughly 20 years before he lost a long-term position. Given the cost of living in LA, the 44-year-old faced financial troubles that forced him to move out of his home.

Undoubtedly adding to Ozzy's mental state was the fact that the Survivor contestant had come extremely close to winning the game twice before, which would mean a pending return to the show likely brought up old emotions, as it would for anyone. With everything piled up, Ozzy spiraled into a series of decisions that led him to "rock bottom." The reality star began drinking heavily and opened an OnlyFans account, putting his ability to return to family-friendly Survivor at risk.

Luckily, Ozzy was able to turn things around when he moved back to his birthplace of Guanajuato, Mexico. He stopped drinking, deactivated his OnlyFans account, and started a business. Rather than managing other people's restaurants, Ozzy opened his own. He now runs Xolazul — an organic restaurant, cocktail bar, and vinyl listening lounge — along with his brothers.

Ozzy took to Instagram to share that starting his own business, "Has been a true test of character ... Nothing has been easy, but everything has been worth it." He further indicated that he's in a better place in life, with the photo caption, "For my birthday, the present was the gift."

As for Survivor, Ozzy believes his new perspective on life will help his gameplay. The contestant told Entertainment Weekly, "I think simply put, I've evolved and matured, seen some s--t. I've been in some dark places, and I've dug myself back out."