03x12 - Dunes of Despair

[bunniefuu]

Honora: I feel
like, if I can survive

in this environment for 21 days,

I can survive
anywhere for 21 days.

Man, you're making me look bad.

[ laughs ]

matt: We have 21 days.

There's no need to
overexert ourselves

in these first couple days.

Honora, you okay? [ whimpers ]

can you squeeze my hand?

Can you hear me? [ whimpers ]

can you squeeze my hand?

[ sobs ]

universe, help me.

[ all speaking native language ]

narrator: For the next three
weeks, one woman and one man

take on the most
extreme survival challenge

of their lives.

[ sobbing ] [ growls ]

they have no clothes,
no food, no water.

I can do this. I can do this.

Man: I'm pretty
exhausted right now.

Narrator: And they have no
choice but to work together to survive

on the sun-scorched
barren sand dunes of brazil...

Honora: I want to
make it to day 21 so bad.

So, my father
recently passed away,

the day before
his 50th birthday.

I texted him kind of out of the
blue 10 days before he died,

kind of about the show

and survival and
life in general.

And then he died.

But if it wasn't for
"naked and afraid,"

I may not have talked to him.

And talking to him
about "naked and afraid"

actually gave me this, like,
profound sense of closure.

It kind of, like,
retroactively healed me

in regards to my dad's death.

captions paid for by
discovery communications

matt: It's just stark
white expanse.

It's barren, lifeless.

It's beautiful,
but it can k*ll you.

My name is matt.

I live in portland, oregon,

and I am a
primitive-skills instructor.

Like, I started smoking
weed in fifth grade.

I first did coke when I
was in seventh grade.

I had a pretty bad drug
problem in my teenage years

before I realized
I was a dumbass

and stopped
doing all that stuff.

I'm doing this because I
want to challenge myself

and see if I can
actually survive.

I've been teaching
these primitive skills

for some time now,

and I would like to put them
to the test in the real world.

It's like something out
of a surrealist painting.

I don't think there's anywhere
else like this on earth.

I mean, this is the real deal.

Whoa.

I've never seen anything
like this before in my life.

It's beautiful.

My name is honora.

I live in south lake
tahoe, california,

and I'm an herbologist and
a full-time college student.

I'm a bit of an oddball.

I've always been kind of
the wild child in the family.

I never do my nails.
I'll let my legs get hairy.

People are surprised

when they find out
that I'm a survivalist

mainly because
I'm a cute blonde.

And so when they find out that
I do the things that I do for fun,

they're often -- like,
their jaws will drop.

I'm really hoping that
my partner is cool.

I hope that the
nudity isn't a big issue.

All right, let's
get [bleep] naked.

I love being naked.

Every year, I take part in
the world naked bike ride

in portland.

I'm actually going to be
missing this year's while I'm here,

although I will
be naked in spirit

for all of my fellow
friends that are riding.

Here we go.

I've been a nudist
since I was a little kid.

I used to love running
around naked in the rain.

I want this full 21
days under my belt

just so I can have this
story for the rest of my life.

I do feel like I
was born to do this.

Like, some sense of fate
and destiny has led me here.

Oh. [ laughs ]

there's my partner.

Matt: Hello. Honora: Hi.

How are you doing?

I'm well.

My name's matt.

Nice to meet you,
matt. My name's honora.

It's good to meet you, honora.

Nice day to me naked, huh?

Yeah. It's gorgeous out here.

I'm looking at this guy,

and I'm really worried
about his physical stamina.

I don't know if he's going to
be able to keep up with me.

Matt: My partner, she's
super fit and athletic.

More athletic
than I am, for sure.

Shall we check
out our bags, then?

Yeah.

I've got a kukri-style machete.

Sweet. Awesome.

I made this myself.

You made that? Yeah.

That's amazing.

Yeah, I teach blacksmithing
and knife-making back home,

and so I figured I
should bring this.

That's awesome.

I brought a magnifying glass.

She brought a magnifying glass?

I'm not sure it will be
the most useful tool.

That's awesome.

Let's see where we are.

Narrator: Honora and matt
have begun their 21-day challenge

on the north shore of brazil

in lençóis maranhenses
national park.

9 million acres of dunes

and 6½ million of acres
of semi-aquatic vegetation

make it the largest national
park in south america.

Unlike any other "naked
and afraid" location,

the survivalists
are being dropped

into a bleak and desolate
landscape of blinding white sand

crisscrossed with lagoons

filled by frequent rainstorms
during the wet season.

They will share the
inhospitable environment

with what little life can
manage to exist here --

migrating birds
from north america,

venomous sidewinder
rattlesnakes,

and 12-inch tarantulas.

With limited resources and
exposed to the blistering heat,

honora and matt are
about to face not only a daily

but an hourly
struggle to survive.

I feel like I'm an explorer
on a foreign planet.

Yeah.

Definitely does not
feel like planet earth.

Feel like I'm just
walking on something

from "star wars" or "dune."

doesn't look like
there's a whole lot

of ideal shelters
in this zone, but...

No. ...We'll find something.

Honora: We are officially
about to be out of sunlight.

I mean, any light, really.

Sun is definitely
down. [ chuckles ]

we need to find a spot to
sleep 'cause, like, at this point,

we're gonna be,
like, headed off a cliff.

Honora and matt head
down to a lower level

in an effort to escape
from the gusty desert winds.

Honora: It's kind
of fun. Matt: Yeah.

It's not like we're gonna find

a really, really
nice spot out here.

We're just gonna
find a less [bleep] spot.

Yeah, totally.

Like, right here, we
could actually move sand,

like, around to try to,

like, make a little
bit higher of a wall,

like sand-castle style.

I feel like we could
block more wind,

you know what I'm saying.

Matt: I'll get started.

As dusk settles in to night,
their spirits are hopeful.

I, as well, will be
sleeping like a baby,

but a baby that's lying
in a poorly dug pit of sand

in the middle of a dune.

[ insects buzzing ]

honor: The night here
is excruciatingly long,

and we're getting
eaten by something,

either mosquitoes and/or
sand fleas, incessantly.

It's miserable.

Definitely not
sleeping like a baby.

Waaaah.

[ laughs ]

[ whines ]

ow.

Oh, man. These bites itch.

[ laughs ]

there is no hell
like sleeping out

in an exposed sand
dune with no shelter.

The wind just howls.

I see a bunch of greenery
right around there.

I wish I could just slice
off matt's love handles

and put them on my own hips,

because he has so
much excess body fat.

I looks like there's gonna be
plenty of trees around there

to provide us with
some food and cover.

Yeah.

Narrator: Before they
began their journey,

a panel of experts
gave honora and matt

a primitive survival
rating, or psr.

Matt's career spent as
a wilderness instructor

and his extensive experience
surviving in harsh environments

has prepared him for
this unique location.

Matt's psr is set at 7.1.

Honora's extreme intelligence
and take-charge personality

give her a slightly higher psr
than matt, coming in at 7.6.

But her penchant to overexert
herself may work against her.

Our experts will
reevaluate their psrs

at the end of the
21-day challenge.

Honora: It is so humid here.

I'm just sweating
everywhere I go.

Matt: It's hard walking up
and down these sand dunes.

You just sink in.

There's like no firm areas.

Oh, look, several
palm trees. Yeah.

We could definitely
get some, like,

roof-making materials.

I think this is gonna
be a good general area

for a final camp.

Yeah. Yeah.

That's some stuff we
can start dragging back.

Eat an ant.

They taste really good.

Ooh. Taste like lemon.

Big one. Oh, I missed it.

You want some ants?

Vegan.

I'm not gonna give that
up on the second day.

I'm vegan, and I do
not plan on eating meat.

If I do catch something, I
will give it to my partner.

I feel totally replenished after
eating a couple ants, actually.

[ chuckles ]

all right, let's drag some
of these fronds back

and start thinking about water.

Do we want that
one over there too?

We can come back for those.

I'll go grab it.

Sometimes, I kind of
push myself too hard.

Man, you're making me look bad.

[ laughs ]

matt: We have 21 days.

There's no need to
overexert ourselves

in these first couple days.

[ sighs ] it's exhausting.

Need some more ants after that.

Before we start
messing with this,

we should figure out
our water situation.

Honora: So, I found this thing.

So we can fill this with water

and sanitize it with u.V.
With my magnifying glass.

[ breathing heavily ]

honora: So, what I'm
doing is I'm using u.V. Light.

How it works is
the u.V. Radiation

actually breaks down
the dna of the microbes.

Now, I'm, like,
moving it around,

trying to cover every
surface of water,

and then kind of
turning the cup.

And that whole process
takes a couple minutes.

That sun is just
taunting us, too,

'cause it's like right there,
and it, like, keeps moving.

Matt: I'm just going to
try to work on the shelter.

I don't really see any
reason to put too much faith

in her magnifying glass.

Takes too much time.

I think the water
here is safe to drink

as long as you choose
the right source carefully.

Honora: In my opinion, all
water should be treated or filtered.

I take that very seriously.

To drink straight from
it without treatment

is a huge risk.

Matt: I'm looking around,

and you never see any
animals out during the day.

Nothing living is
ever out in the sun.

They're either in
the vegetative areas

or dug in a burrow
or they're dead.

Taking a cue from that, I'm
gonna try to avoid the sun

the entire time I'm out here.

Heat exhaustion's a huge deal,

and it wouldn't take long
for that to happen out here.

Narrator: It's been just 20 minutes
since honora has been out in the sun,

but the post-90-degree
temperatures

are already having
a serious effect.

How you doing over here?

I was passed out.

Yeah.

You want to go lay in the shade?

No, it's okay.

Just trying to make sure

that you don't pass
out too long in the sun.

Yeah, dude, I know.

I was definitely passed
out for a while, I think.

I'm so tired.

It just kind of hit me.

Go take a nap in the shade.

No, I'm gonna drink
some water first.

Then drink the water.

It's not ready for...

I know what I'm
doing. Thank you.

[ laughing ] I know.

It's okay. It's all right.

Sorry. It's okay.
I know you care.

I just -- I'm just
waiting for the sun,

drink some water,
then I'm gonna move.

The biggest problem
that we're facing right now

is definitely the sun.

You can feel it just burning.

So just got to handle it
a little more intelligently.

Narrator: As the sun reaches
it's hottest part of the afternoon,

scorching the desert
sands in the high 90s,

matt continues
shelter construction

by finally adding
the palm fronds

to protect them
from the elements.

He also manages to
secure a variety of fruit,

including jatobá,
which will be valuable

for its high concentration
of starches and proteins.

[ groans ]

I'm probably beat red right now.

Ohh.

The sun is definitely an issue.

And so I'm making some clothes.

My left nipple is blistering.

That's how badly I burnt it.

Pretty sure I'm gonna
come out of here

with some skin
cancer on my n*pples.

Narrator: As honora
continues to fashion a hat

and some body
protection into the evening,

matt's thirst overtakes him,

and he decides to drink the
water directly from the lagoon.

[ slurps ]

that tastes so good.

This does make me
feel uncomfortable.

I don't like feeling like I'm
at odds with my partner.

If I get sick...

That's my fault
for being an idiot.

But I don't think this
is a dumb decision.

I think this is an
intelligent one.

I'm thirsty.

I'm waiting for a little
bit of a break in the sun

to go out and get some water.

Are you gonna bring the
magnifying glass with you?

Matt: No.

You're just gonna go drink.

I'm just chilling.

All right, I'm
getting some water.

Yeah. Seems to
be fitting mostly.

Matt: My plan is to let
my body heal a little bit

before going on any more, like,
big adventures out into the sun.

Honora: I am definitely
worried that matt is drinking

straight from the source.

It's not totally clean.

He's skipping an essential
step to survival here

just for the ease of the pain,

and I don't think that it's
a good risk to take at all.

[bleep] [ laughs ]

holy [bleep] that is gigantic.

Ah, a big-a*s bug.

This bug popped out
of the bushes here.

This thing was
freaking gigantic.

I think honora will
be stoked about this.

Honora: I'm kind of
frustrated with matt

because, though he
has been really helpful,

this isn't lounge time.

This is, like, survival.

I definitely feel like
he's lazier than I am.

What's up, dude?

Not much. We
have this little guy.

What little guy?

Hanging right
there from a string.

Oh [bleep] you want to eat?

Yeah, I'll eat that. Cool.

Thank you.

That's awesome, man.

How you gonna go
about eating that?

I'm going to cook
him in the sun.

Amazing. Some protein.

Thank you, locust. I'm sorry.

Maybe I should
take its head off.

Just fried it a little
bit while it's alive.

[ locust crunches ]

wow, look at those nerves.

Yeah, this thing's huge.

Honora: Hey, matt, you sure
you don't want any of this?

Matt: Yeah, I'm good.

Thank you for the offer, though.

Dude, I know
you're vegan, but...

You are surviving.

I'm surviving as is.

It's turning red like a lobster.

Whoa.

I can see fluids
bubbling inside its shell.

Ooh, that's strong.

Mmm.

It's just like chicken broth.

Oh, god, I could eat like
10 more of these things.

So good.

Definitely sweet, though.

And sun-barbecue
is the way to go.

Narrator: As day three comes
to a close, desert winds pick up,

blasting at over
30 miles per hour,

and temperatures
drop to 58 degrees.

Honora: It was so cold.

I don't think most
people understand

how serious this challenge is.

We have to spend, like, huddled
and miserable every night now.

I don't feel comfortable
having our private parts

so close together.

Like, it makes me
really uncomfortable.

And the way he smells,

like, literally I gag
being around him.

At this point, I don't know
where to get calories,

'cause I, like, am lightheaded

every time I, like,
walk anywhere.

So, like, the idea
of hunting or fishing

seems impossible
to me right now.

Fair.

Narrator: Three days have
passed since matt and honora

have had any
significant protein.

They are also suffering from
the heat and lack of sleep.

Honora: I don't know, matt.

I think it would be cool

if you just could help
just to, like, look for food.

Yeah. I just want
to be less active.

You don't want to
go down there now?

No.

Mine an honora's approach
to survival are very different.

Honora's is more reckless,
and I'm just more cautious.

Survival's like a game of chess.

You have to think
first before you move.

Matt is lazing around
instead of, like, helping me.

Taking care of a man who
can't take care of himself

is [bleep]

who goes and drinks
straight out of a pond

without treating it?

And sitting in the
sun for half hour

to get what I can
get in two minutes --

well, dude, there
are cysts in there,

and there's animal feces
of, like, three different types.

It's a calculated risk.
It's a calculated risk.

Well, I'm sorry. You're
really stupid, so...

Okay. I'm not the fat kid here.

[bleep] all right.

Smells like [bleep] [bleep]

that's the other thing.

Like, we're
biologically predisposed

to [bleep] hate each other

because, day one, I noticed
that you [bleep] stank, dude.

Like, you stank. Okay, dude.

Before you even got
dirty, you [bleep] stank.

It's like everything I
can do in my power

not to gag sleeping
next to you at night.

So gross.

You stink, and you're
stupid, and you're [bleep] lazy.

So I'm over it. I'm
seriously over it.

I'm not the fat
kid here. All right.

[bleep] smells
like [bleep] [bleep]

we're biologically predisposed
to [bleep] hate each other

because, day one, I noticed
that you [bleep] stank, dude.

Like, you stank.

You're stupid, and you're lazy.

So, I'm over it. I'm
seriously over it.

That girl's loco.

[ voice breaking ] matt's
completely oblivious

and so lazy, and I just
want to scream at him.

[ sniffles ]

can't stand to have someone
that negative around me.

Honora: Basically,
we're not getting along,

and we agreed to divvy
up our building materials.

So you can keep everything.

I'm keeping the palms,
since you carried up only one.

Dude, you're so delusional.

All right, go ahead
and tell yourself that.

Matt: This is
totally like a divorce.

I mean, I told her
I was moving out

and splitting up the
materials of the shelter.

There's just this tension.

I don't want to even talk to
her or share anything with her.

I'm done. I'm over it.

I don't want to argue
with you anymore.

I just feel like space is
good probably for both of us.

This isn't like friendship camp.

Like, I won't feel
bad if he ends up

not being my best
friend after this.

Narrator: A massive storm front
makes its way over the oasis,

bringing with it winds gusting
at over 30 miles per hour

and a cold front of
temperatures in the high 50s.

[ rain falling ]

the rain is so cold

and the wind is blowing
so hard right now.

Narrator: The storm
continues throughout day nine,

leaving matt and honora
helpless against the elements.

It's an intense rain.

I can do this. I can
do this. I can do this.

I can do this. I can
do this. I can do this.

[ sobs ]

it was just sustained downpour.

I think it stopped for, like,
half an hour or an hour.

And I managed to fall asleep
long enough to have a dream,

and then I woke up with
it raining on me again.

It was so brutal.

Matt: I do want to prove
that I can do this for myself,

but more importantly, I want
to prove it to my students.

I teach a number of teenagers,

and I'm actually missing
their graduation to be here.

They're all watching it for me

and said that they want
me to do this for them,

so that's why I'm here, and
that's why I cannot give up.

Honora: My dad,
he was really cool.

He was, like, an eagle scout,

and he taught me how
to use a magnifying glass

when I was a little kid.

He passed away recently,

and I'm so glad that I did
bring a magnifying glass

because it really makes me
feel like he's here with me.

I know that he is,

and he's gonna help me get
through this challenge, so...

[ sobs ]

I'm just really fortunate
to have had him as a dad

'cause he's -- he's kind of
helping me survive right now.

Narrator: It's been days
since honora has eaten.

Her blood sugar
is dangerously low,

but she is determined
to search for food.

Honora: I've been expending
a ton of calories and energy

foraging for food.

I really need the calories.

Matt doesn't look for anything.

He literally does
not go looking.

I thought it'd be really cool
if I got along with my partner.

And I thought that I probably
would come out of here

with, like, a best friend.

But life isn't really that way.

This is like pure
survival right now.

Matt's on his own.

Matt: I know I'm not
getting the nutrients I need,

but I'm getting enough
food to sustain me.

And every day, I eat like
an eight-inch piece of cactus,

and that kind of boosts
me through the day.

If something's not
gonna directly benefit

my energy levels or something,

then I'm probably not
gonna be one to do it.

Honora: I'm learned that I
have an abundance of energy

and will use it until
I finally collapse.

If I have a partner who's
not reciprocating equally...

[sniffles]

...Then I tend to just take on
more on my own shoulders.

And I will just keep
moving [sniffles]

until I can no longer move.

I definitely feel like I'm
losing hope out here.

[ sniffles ]

it's just really hard.

I want to make it
to day 21 so bad.

[ sniffles ]

but I need some food.

And every time I stand
up, I want to black out.

I can't walk anywhere
without feeling like

I'm gonna fall on my face.

And in order to purify my
water, I have to go into the sun,

and my body is just scorched.

[ voice breaking ] it's so hard.

She's just too hungry.

Doesn't have the nutrients.

And she's just expending
a lot more energy

than she's consuming,

and I think that's
kind of wrecking her.

[ sobbing ] this place is
not conducive to surviving

for long periods of time
without supplements.

I need salt.

I need sugar.

I need potassium.

I need magnesium.

And then I don't get
any of these things.

[ sobbing ]

I've spent literally the
whole day lying down,

too weak to walk around.

I'm feeling so
fatigued and so hungry.

My eyes are twitching.

My bones hurt.

My stomach's concaving in.

Universe, help me.
Help me, please.

[ sobs ]

narrator: Honora's body has
been severely deprived of food

during the last two weeks,

and it is having a
devastating effect.

Her muscles are breaking down

to keep vital
organs functioning,

and the lack of potassium
and calcium is causing

muscle spasms and pain.

Honora: Finding
some coconuts would

really restore some
hope, you know?

It would be the
electrolytes that I need.

[ sobs ]

[ crying ]

oh, my god.

[ sobbing ]

I see a coconut.

I feel like maybe
I can go drink this

and my arms and legs will
start working a little better.

[ sniffles ]

[ groans ]

honora: Hey. Can I
borrow your machete?

Matt: Yeah. Thanks.

Matt: My relationship
with honora

isn't a friendship or a
partnership by any means.

But it's an understanding
that we're both out here.

I let honora use my knife
because I don't see any reason

why I wouldn't let
her use my knife.

I think it's basic human decency

and seeing someone suffering

and trying to ease up
that suffering a little bit.

This is the best thing
I've ever had in my life.

Matt really did a nice --
he did me a service there.

Not talking kind of adds

this like weird energy
to the whole dynamic,

and it'd be better

just to kind of put
my cards on the table

and see what happens.

Hey, matt.

Hey.

Ugh.

I've been kind of
pissed 'cause I felt like

I've been exerting
a lot more energy

looking and foraging,

and I've been like, "why
isn't matt doing this too?"

and it sucks, 'cause
I've been, like,

losing so much weight so fast.

And, like, I feel really weak
and depleted, you know?

And it's been irritating me.

But I'm really sorry about
the things that I said to you.

I definitely hit below the belt.

I definitely said some
inappropriate things to you

that, god, I would, like,
never say to anybody.

It's been really difficult
being so low in blood sugar,

and just not really
used to starving.

And I'm really sorry
if I -- for what I said.

And, um...

It's all good, homey.

Like, we're under some
tough situations, circumstances,

and stuff gets said that
isn't necessarily meant.

Matt: Honora apologized, and I
didn't expect that to ever happen.

But, like, just, you
know, her acknowledging

that she said some
fudged-up stuff,

that was enough.

I-I didn't mean that.

[ chuckles ]

honora: I feel way better
after having talked to matt.

I feel like we can coexist now,

at least for the last few
days that we're here.

I think things will be
better from here on out.

[ bird calling ]

narrator: Just
over an hour later,

in spite of a bit of
nourishment from her coconut,

the cumulative effects
of hunger, exhaustion,

and heat stroke have taken
their toll on honora's body.

Matt finds her passed out,

completely exposed to
the sun's blistering rays.

Honora, you okay?

Honora: [ whimpers ]

can you squeeze my hand?

[ whimpers ]

can you hear me?

Can you squeeze my hand?

Honora?

Can we get a medic
over here now?

She's not responding.

Man: Medic.

Can you see?

No movement.

Honora? Jim: Honora.

Honora?

Honora, can you hear me?

Woman: Can you hear us?
Say something to us, please.

Can you say something?
Anything? Please?

Honora.

Uh-huh.

You guys okay?

Come around and
back the hell up.

Matt: I'm watching
everyone take honora out.

I just kind of feel
completely scared.

I don't know. I'm just
hoping that she gets better.

[ conversation in
native language ]

jim: We're just trying
to get her to the hospital

as fast as we can.

The hospital's in town.

Uh, well, we are on
the ferry right now.

We're about to
cross over into town.

I've got honora
unconscious in my lap.

[ indistinct conversation ]

[ speaking native language ]

okay, we got honora
to the hospital.

She was unconscious
the entire way here.

She was very scary.

Narrator: After 2
1/2 weeks struggling

with the brutal conditions
of northern brazil,

honora lost consciousness
and was evacuated

by the producers and
a local medical unit.

Jim: We're just trying
to get her to the hospital

as fast as we can.

The hospital's in town.

She went into intensive care.

They gave her some --

you know, they
put her on an I.V.

Jim: Uh, well, we are
on the ferry right now.

We're about to
cross over into town.

I've got honora
unconscious in my lap.

Narrator: On day 16, a
severely dehydrated honora

was rushed to a local hospital.

Domingos: [ speaking
native language ]

although honora
responded to treatment,

doctors advised
it would be unsafe

for her to continue
with the challenge.

Honora: I'm, like,
really confused.

Like, my brain feels slow.

[ sighs ] I told myself
I wasn't gonna quit.

[ sniffles ]

it was the last
thing I wanted to do.

[ sniffles ]

my body just quit on me.

Good luck, matt.

Matt: I got word
honora's doing okay now,

and I just can't really
describe how relieved I am.

I mean, I don't know a
time I've been more scared

than seeing all that unravel.

Now that honora's gone,
it's really boring out here.

Wait out the days and
try not to go insane.

Day 34.

I'm still out here.

Day 72.

I've learned to speak the
language of the spiders.

Day 182.

I no longer remember
my human name.

Narrator: As day 21 dawns,

matt makes final preparations
for his journey to extraction.

So, I just got to cross
straight through the dunes,

hit the river, and follow
that and get out here.

I'm not gonna miss it one
bit. [bleep] hate this place.

Narrator: The map shows
that matt's extraction point is

five miles south.

Using the sun to navigate,
matt faces an exhausting trek

across the changing
elevations of the dunes

to get to this river.

He'll then need to wade
through the water southeast

for three miles,

where a rescue helicopter
can safely land and pick him up.

I know how much

this magnifying glass
means to honora.

She didn't have a chance to
take it with her when she left,

so I'm gonna get
this back to her.

I just want to grab it
so she has something

that she has a
sentimental attachment to.

[ wind whistling ]

each step out here in the
wind with the sand going on,

it's like someone's reaching
out and stabbing you with a knife.

Extraction is awful.

I'm pretty exhausted right now

and ready to get out of here.

I'm taking a little break here

just 'cause my stomach's
starting to feel nauseous.

My biggest fear
is not being able

to complete the challenge
and being forced to give up.

I can't imagine
returning to portland

and my coworkers and my students

and having to show
my face after giving up.

Here's the river.

Like, on one side of the river
it's the endless sand dunes.

On the other side,
it's just a wall of green.

Narrator: The waters in northern
brazil are stained red by tannic acids

leached by plants in the forest.

Matt, completely exhausted,

will have to tread
through the crimson waters

to reach the extraction point.

Matt: This is just about
one of the hardest things

I've ever done.

I just have to keep pushing.

Parts of it,

it was like stepping into
a puddle of molasses.

I'm in crippling pain right now.

Stomach feels like
it's full of battery acid.

[ helicopter blades whirring ]

when I finally
saw the helicopter,

I can't even describe
how relieved I was.

It was the best feeling
knowing I was finally gonna

get out of this oasis and
get the hell out of here.

This challenge was one
of the most difficult things

I've ever had to do in my life.

It pushed me to just
about every limit that I have,

and... I'm glad that it's over.

Goodbye, oasis.

Narrator: Attempting to survive

in the brutal
conditions of brazil

left our survivalists

both mentally and
physically battered.

Over the course of 16
days, honora lost 18 pounds,

and in 3 weeks, matt
lost a total of 28 pounds.

Based on their performance,
their psrs were reevaluated.

Matt successfully
completed the challenge,

raising his psr from 7.1 to 7.7.

Honora's early departure
drops hers from a 7.6 to a 7.2.

So, I brought you some things.

What? Really? Yeah.

Well, I brought you
your magnifying glass.

Oh, thank you!

Oh, yeah, I was hoping...

Honora: That was
just so freaking sweet.

The fact that he thought
about me meant so much.

To have this item that,
like, my dad had given me,

it really, really touched me.

It was almost like a reminder

that, like, my dad's still
here with me, you know?

Thanks, dude.

It was great to see you.

Yeah, dude.

Narrator: In the end,

by undertaking the most
grueling test of their lives,

matt and honora gained
new respect for the wild

and just what it takes to
endure naked and afraid.

For the first time,

I really found what
my limits were.

I'm just happy to be alive.