Vince Costello GoFundMe raised over $86,000 for the late ‘Survivor’ crew member battling cancer

At the end of the premiere episode of season 49 of CBS's reality series Survivor, the screen displayed a tribute to Vince Costello. Aired on September 24, the message read, “In loving memory of Vince Costello, forever in our hearts.”

According to Parade, Costello was a crew member behind the scenes from 2016 to 2025. More specifically, he served as the location manager for Survivor’s Fiji residence.

Vince passed away after the filming of the 50th season, according to PEOPLE reports. While an official cause of death was not disclosed, in July, Survivor executive producer Jesse Jensen started a GoFundMe to help Costello and his family with his cancer expenses.

At the time of writing, it raised 86,482 AUD.

“We are reaching out to ask for your help. Our good friend Vince Costello has recently been diagnosed with late-stage Hepatocellular Carcinoma (Liver Cancer). This devastating news came out of nowhere and shocked us all,” the description read.

It continued, “Now Vince needs our support. Vince’s diagnosis is life-threatening, and he and his family have had to leave Fiji and temporarily relocate to Australia to get the treatment and support that he needs.”

Jesse Jensen also mentioned that Vince Costello was going through an “immunotherapy treatment program via private health.” However, he encouraged the show’s fans to donate because his road ahead was “long, difficult, and expensive.”

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Exploring further about Vince Costello

According to Parade, Vince Costello, 61, worked as part of the large team on Survivor for a decade, until he died in 2025. Before that, he worked on 50 other television and movie productions.

When Survivor was shot in Fiji, the local native became its location manager, responsible for finding and securing locations during the production of the reality show, including setting up tribe camps, challenge sites, and Tribal Council in the Mamanuca Islands.

According to PEOPLE, Vincent Costello had three children who were also part of the behind-the-scenes crew. His daughter Aline, 28, worked on the Dream Team before joining her father as a full-time location assistant. She told the outlet that they “work really well together.”

"We're a very tight family, so I feel like if anyone could do it, it would be us. It's been good," she added.

Meanwhile, Vincent Costello agreed with his daughter and quipped, "No fights in public." He mentioned that when he first started working for Survivor, he had no idea it would “change my life and my family’s lives.”

"Fiji is very much into culture and into respect, and it's been great working for 'Survivor' in that respect. From every single Fijian citizen on this job and for all the citizens of our little country, we've been very grateful," Costello stated back then.

His son, Patrick, 21, is a cinema operator who grew up “running around” base camp. He told PEOPLE that his dad wanted him to attend university, and he needed some convincing to join the production team. Patrick worked in post-production for two years before moving on to the camera crew.

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More about the GoFundMe dedicated to Vince Costello

On July 21, Jesse Jensen launched a fundraiser called “Vince and the Costello Family” featuring a cover image of the crew member, his wife, daughter, and two sons. It revealed that Vince Costello was fighting end-stage liver cancer in Australia and needed assistance with his medical expenses.

“Unable to work, Vince is focusing on his health and spending time with his loved ones — but that also means Vince and his family are facing substantial financial pressure. Kathy [his wife] and the family are doing their best to stay strong, but the burden of medical bills, everyday living expenses, and the uncertainty of what’s to come can be overwhelming,” it read.

The GoFundMe aimed to provide the Costellos with “practical, immediate support” during their “heartbreaking” time and “try and take this one burden off them.”

The fundraiser covered expenses related to ongoing medical treatments, medications, and specialist appointments; general costs for the family’s relocation to Australia and living expenses there; and costs associated with maintaining their farm and commitments back in Fiji.

Jesse Jensen urged people to donate and spread the word. He called Vince “loved and respected,” who has stood by his friends and community over the years, offering them his “warmth, humour, and generosity,” which have “left a lasting impact on everyone lucky enough to have met and spent time with him.”

“Vince has always given so much to all of us — through his work, his kindness, and most of all his friendship. Let’s rally together and give him and his family something back,” it concluded.

The fundraiser raised over $86,000 in a week and closed on July 28, along with an update. It mentioned that Vince Costello was “overwhelmed” and felt that the amount raised was “substantial enough to really help him and the family to prepare for and work through what lies ahead of them.”

“It has given Vince the ability to really concentrate without financial constraints on beating this cancer and regaining his health. At Vince’s request, for now, we will be putting a halt to any additional donations. Thanks to you all, he has what he feels he needs to help him through this,” the update read.

The message also thanked all donors for their support, describing it as amazing, touching, and humbling. It also conveyed “a huge Vinaka vakalevu” from Vince and the Costello family.