In a deeply emotional moment during the latest episode of Survivor, Eva Erickson opened up about her experience of being overstimulated during an immunity challenge, which led to what she described as an “autism episode.”

Survivor Autism Girl

As outlined here in PEOPLE, the emotional moment unfolded as her tribe members, unaware of what was happening, swarmed her with excitement after the challenge, but Eva’s overwhelming response was far from celebration. As she screamed from the intensity of the overstimulation, Eva explained, “They don’t know what’s going on inside my brain, they don’t know that I physically cannot control myself, I don’t have the capability to calm down here because I’m so overstimulated.”

Survivor Autism Moment

The raw and unfiltered moment was a stark portrayal of how sensory overload can affect those with autism, something that many viewers may not fully understand.

Eva had shared her diagnosis earlier with her fellow contestant Joe Hunter, a fire captain, who knew how to support her during moments like this. This is shown in this TikTok video of a clip from the show (@cbssurvivor):

Survivor Reddit

As the article goes on to explain, when Eva’s episode unfolded, Joe was the first to recognize that she needed help, and in a show first, Survivor host Jeff Probst noticed Joe’s concern. Jeff, visibly moved, gave Joe permission to leave the tribe mat and comfort Eva, an act that brought an emotional moment for the host. As Jeff choked up, he said, “There is a young girl or boy just like you watching right now going, ‘Hey, mom, hey, dad,’” referencing how others watching could also resonate with the emotional scene.

In a show of compassion, Joe quickly moved to Eva’s side, offering comfort in the way she had previously asked him to. Joe gently hugged her and encouraged her to breathe, even holding her hands to help her ground herself.

Eva’s moment of vulnerability and Joe’s support captured a powerful, touching display of empathy and understanding that resonated not only with those on screen but also with viewers at home.