GREENSBORO, N.C. — “It was very shocking at the moment. I felt every wave. I see it’s tripping me up right now! I was just like, I won. Oh my gosh. And Charlie and Ben were like my best friends at the time. So, I felt so guilty for them but so proud of them, too. And I was proud of myself for beating such heavy competitors. It was just every emotion that you could feel all at once. And now it's been almost a year since we filmed, and now it's just setting in," said Kenzie Petty.
After holding in secret for nearly a year, Petty can now say she has won Survivor.
“I was the first person to play from Charlotte, and so it was just an honor to represent the Queen City, baby," cheered Petty.
While born in Michigan, Petty calls North Carolina home, and after watching Survivor for years, she knows she will fit right in.
"You know, I'm just a yes, man. I just watched it. I was like, I would be good at this. I should do this. Let's do this and a shot at a million dollars and adventure of a lifetime. I was like, ah, yes!" Petty exclaimed.
MANNING - "What would you say about your overall experience? Of course, besides being the winner, what was your overall experience getting to know your fellow contestants and just participating in the survivor world for that time?"
For her, it was the experience of a lifetime, not just to win but to meet so many amazing people along the way.
"Oh my gosh, it's a dream come true! It's the hardest and best thing I think anyone will ever go through. You get to know people that you would never really cross paths with so quickly and deeply," Petty said.
And as Petty wraps up these pages of her life book, she’s looking to the future.
“The next chapter is just enjoying all of the things that I've worked for. I started in one of the worst tribes historically all the way to the top. And now I'm going to enter my homemaker mommy era for a few months. And then I'll go back to business as usual, back to doing hair and living life and just enjoying, taking a deep breath, knowing that I have, because I'm just using this money for retirement investing," said Petty.
However, one thing remains: she’s happy to be home.
“I am just so grateful to be home in North Carolina. Tell you what. So, it's just nice. Like the welcome has been nice. The community has been so supportive. I'm grateful for everyone here," said Petty.