Kriti Mehrotra
As the first ever player of Albanian descent to join the cast of CBS’ ‘Survivor,’ Rizo Velovic made history in season 49 and wore the remarkable title as a badge of honor. He shared that all he wants to do is always represent his small Eastern European country in the way it deserves, rather than let it remain in a stereotypical pocket. Thus, of course, he was determined to be his authentic self at every step of the way, which definitely enabled him to gain strong alliances. Honestly, his blazing charm, unwavering determination, and vibrant personality resulted in him being a fan-favorite player across the globe too.
Rizo Velovic’s Priority Has Always Been His Loving, Supportive Family
Since Rizo is the older of two boys born to Albanian immigrant parents who have always worked multiple jobs to ensure their kids could have the American dream, he knows what sacrifice is. After all, he not only grew up watching his parents work long, hard hours to make ends meet but also gave up part of his own childhood to help raise his younger brother, Almir. In fact, he has stated that his early years were almost as if he was being babysat by the television while he was babysitting his brother, who was diagnosed with autism at a very young age.
Rizo has never shied away from conceding that while his parents worked 2-3 custodian jobs each by the time he was a teenager, he was juggling childcare, school, and doing the family’s taxes. He even helped his parents close on their first house at the age of 21. He feels immensely wealthy because all of his core memories are family-related, and they instilled some key values in him. The Yonkers, New York native applied to be on ‘Survivor 49’ to not only fulfill his lifelong dream but also pay homage to his still-working parents and show them that all their sacrifices were worth it.
As for Almir, Rizo wants his brother, who is also his best friend, to see him on television and understand in his heart that everything can be achieved with a little bit of hard work. The 25-year-old has since admitted that Almir doesn’t watch ‘Survivor,’ but he made him see an episode of season 48 when Joe Hunter was able to comfort Eva Erikson, who also has autism. He just wants his kid brother to feel truly appreciated and seen, so he tries his best to spotlight him whenever and however possible. Furthermore, it seems that Rizo is currently in a happy relationship with a woman named Elizabeth Doqaj.
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Rizo Velovic is a Corporate and Creative Professional
Since his grandfather was a farmer, Rizo wanted to be a farmer when he was young. However, he changed his mind growing up and realized his beloved state was a concrete jungle. Hence, upon graduating high school, he enrolled at the University at Albany for a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication in the hopes of establishing a career as a Broadcast Journalist. Yet, by the time he got to his senior year, he realized he wouldn’t be able to financially support his family in the ways he wanted to if he continued to pursue this path. So, he shifted gears and secured a job in the sales department at a Tech company, where he has been working for four years now.
Rizo is grateful for his job as it pays well, enables him to have a work-life balance and grants him the opportunity to hone his people skills. The fact that two of his best friends work in the same company has only made things better for him, right alongside the fact that they didn’t mind him taking an extended leave so as to be on ‘Survivor.’ However, since November 2024, the New Yorker has even been serving as a Notary at the Notary Public Office for the State of New York, so as to make some extra cash.
On the other hand, to fulfill his creative side, Rizo has also been dabbling in the foundation of his brand, RizPod, where he directs, films, edits, hosts, and produces weekly podcasts/vlogs. He believes his superpowers are his ability to connect with people easily, his optimism, and his core values, so he wishes to project these ideas via his content in order to inspire others or help them through dark times. In short, he is a family-oriented man who loves watching all sorts of sports events live, undertaking new experiences around the globe, and sharing his life with others because he wholeheartedly believes there is power in emotions shared.
