Big Brother 8's third place finisher,
Zach Swerdzewski came home to a big reception last Friday, October 5 in his native hometown of Tallahassee. The big man known in the
Big Brother 8 house as the “ogre” overcame his first few weeks of anonymity on the reality show to give Dick and
Daniele Donato a scare in the run for half a million dollars.
The online chess competitor and clothing entrepreneur, whose back-to-back competition wins in the homestretch of the recently concluded
Big Brother season finally gave him his long-desired chance to hear from his family and friends, finally felt their love in person during last Friday's homecoming.
"Coming back here and realizing that I've got fans, that I've got friends and people supporting me, watching my
Big Brother 8 show - I think it's absolutely incredible," Swerdzewski said upon his return to Tallahassee last weekend.
Swerdzewski's family and friends had organized a welcome bash for their
Big Brother bet at Pockets Pool and Grill Restaurant on Sharer Road, from 6:30 to 9:30pm last Friday. Relatives came in shirts that bore their relationship with Zach while personal items he used during his stay at the
Big Brother house were put on display for fans and admirers to view. Zach himself took time out to pose for pictures and sign autographs for his fans who turned up.
“I'm overwhelmed that there was such a huge following for
Big Brother 8 and myself," Swerdzewski said in response to the reception he received from his supporters. "I was just a normal guy, having a good time on the show."
According to his mom, Mary Ann, Zach's phone rang incessantly in the aftermath of his
Big Brother stint aside from the more than 12,000 e-mails that have been sent to him. In the days leading up to the celebratory gathering, Mary Ann encouraged people from the area to join them on Friday.
"I would hope that it would just be an outpouring of support from the Tallahassee area, from FSU friends, teachers from Leon and Trinity Catholic, patients of his father, Frank, who is a dentist here in town ... just a good outpouring of support," Zach's mom had invited.
-Rosario Santiago, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: Tallahassee.com, WCTV.tv
(Image Courtesy of Reality Insiders)