The Challenge: All Stars 2 season kicked off with 24 OGs getting together to party, reunite, and meet each other before the intense competition and other emotions took over.
For one OG, that included processing a tough situation that had just happened before leaving to film episodes for the spinoff season.
That ended up affecting them as they went into the elimination, as they admitted they weren’t “in a headspace to be there” with their castmates at the time.
This report will contain spoilers for The Challenge: All Stars 2, including elimination results from Episode 2.
Real World castmates reunited, shared emotional scenes
Three cast members in The Challenge: All Stars 2 were originally castmates on MTV’s The Real World: Cancun season, as Jonna Manion, Jasmine Reynaud, and Derek Chavez reunited.
They were all still on friendly terms and happy to be back together. In Episode 2, Jonna and Jasmine became upset when their castmate was the first one voted into an elimination for the guys.
Later, Jonna, Jasmine, and viewers also learned of a heartbreaking situation that Derek was dealing with just before he left to film All Stars 2.
“The day before I left, I got a phone call that my little sister took her own life,” Derek revealed in an emotional confessional interview.
He shared the tough news with Jonna, who comforted him poolside outside the Challenge house. Later, Derek spoke with Jonna, Jasmine, and castmate Ryan Kehoe about the situation. They decided to wear “B” at the elimination in honor of Derek’s little sister, Breana.
Jonna also drew a heart with “BRE” inside it on Derek’s arm with a black marker ahead of the elimination event. He’d go on to battle Nehemiah in the event, and while it seemed close, Nehemiah ultimately claimed the win.
“My little sister, even though I couldn’t make it all the way for her, I know she’d definitely still be super proud that I didn’t give up, and I know that she’s looking down at me and excited to see me do what I love to do,” Derek said in his exit interview after the loss.
Derek comments on Episode 2 elimination event
After All Stars Episode 2, Derek appeared as a guest on MTV’s Official Challenge Podcast with Aneesa Ferreira and Tori Deal. He spoke about going into the elimination against Nehemiah Clark, indicating he may not have been giving it his all.
“I’m gonna be 100 with you, and I’m not taking away Nehemiah’s win at all. He beat me, but as much as I said that I was wanting to be there, I was not in a headspace to be there,” Derek admitted.
Derek said he’d spoken with his brother right before the elimination and learned their mother was going to Arizona, where they would have a service for their sister. Derek realized he needed to be there for that and with them.
He said he wasn’t going to be a “quitter” and would still give the elimination a chance, believing he could possibly beat Nehemiah. However, the situation with his family crossed his mind as he worked on a puzzle in the elimination event.
“I figured that puzzle out, the first one, so fast, and I said, ‘OK, you gotta think about what you actually wanna do. Do you wanna stay here? Do you wanna do this?’ I’m like, ‘No, I don’t,'” he also said on the podcast.
Derek didn’t quit in the elimination, a true testament to his strength, even though the tough loss his family just suffered was clearly weighing on him.
Following the episode, Derek thanked fans for showing love and support towards him and his family after hearing his story. He also received praise from another OG, Karamo Brown, who called Derek a “fighter” after his display in the All Stars 2 episode.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or visit The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention at afsp.org for resources.
The Challenge: All Stars 2 episodes arrive Thursdays on Paramount Plus.