Nick
The writers of the hit Netflix reality series Million Dollar Secret could never have scripted a more twisted plot than what Kyle Wimberley faced upon his return to reality.
After the South Louisiana native was eliminated from the series, it was straight to work for the chiseled Cajun—a 14-hour, overnight marathon drive from Louisiana to the Texas oil fields that may have been his most unwinnable challenge. Low levels of sleep, high heat, and a grueling day in the Lone Star sun, along with the mental crash from the adrenaline-fueled streaming experience led to feelings of light-headedness and dizziness.
These symptoms worsened, with severe nausea and an unsettling sensation of paralysis. Wimberley’s workmates rushed him to the nearest hospital—10 miles away—where doctors said the reality star suffered from dehydration and kidney damage.
If there was ever a time for the Million Dollar Secret contestant to contemplate “what could have been” if he had won the show’s grand prize and not have been eliminated, it would certainly have been while he was hooked up to medical machines. “If I had won that million dollars, this may never have happened,” Kyle Wimberley joked. “Because I probably wouldn’t have been at work.”
Fortunately, the 27-year-old is working his way back to 100% health—at both his water-well drilling job and in the gym. Viewers who caught a glimpse of his unassumingly ripped physique on the Netflix series can attest to the crucial role fitness has played in the quick recovery of this former high school running back.
While he’s still enjoys his simple life on his job drilling, the success of the show has encouraged Wimberley to keep pushing for a reality show repeat. It’s why getting back to a weightroom routine and getting his body right is essential. Outside of work, his passions keep him busy. Wimberley immerses himself in activities such as fitness, photography, duck hunting, and crawfish cooking.
Additionally, Kyle co-founded a local mud racing event in Louisiana with a friend, which caught the attention of representatives from the Discovery Channel. This chance encounter opened the door to a side gig on TV and ultimately led to his participation in Million Dollar Secret.
Kyle Wimberley’s Journey From Mud Racing to Reality TV
So how did a Louisiana-born Cajun, who watches little to no television, find himself on a reality series watched by millions? Mud racing, of course.
Wimberley, an avid mud racing enthusiast, along with a friend, hosted several local mud riding events in which fans and participants would bring out their ATVs and four-wheelers and ride through the mud. Afterwards, everyone indulges in an all-day crawfish cookout.
According to Wimberley, these events caught the attention of producers from the Discovery Channel. While that project is still in the works, casting agents began reaching out to him for separate opportunities. One of which was to participate in Million Dollar Secret, the show in which the premise was having 12 contestants engage in a high-stakes game of predator and prey.
Over eight episodes, the less fortunate competitors had to strategize to hunt down and eliminate the “millionaire” while constantly shifting alliances to put themselves in a better position to win. Casting agents believed his sharp and low-key southern demeanor would be a perfect fit. Wimberley, flattered at first, wasn’t entirely optimistic of things working out.
“I’m not gonna lie, I didn’t have super high hopes, just because so many shows didn’t happen in the past for whatever reason,” he says. “But I kept going through the casting process, and next thing I knew, I was on a flight to Canada.”
Prior to his stay at the show’s location—the ultra-luxurious Stag Resort in British Columbia—the only time Wimberley ever left the states was for a relative’s wedding south of the U.S. border. “I’ve never gone out of the country, other than to Mexico when I was, like, 8.”
Wimberley made it to Episode 7 before his eventual elimination. Not bad for a participant who went in to the series unaware of the situation he was getting himself into. “I just showed up with no prep at all,” he says. “I wanted everything to be new to me,” he explained.
His confidence throughout the show didn’t always shine through. Despite being surrounded with next-level accommodations, nerves and culture shock caught up with him, causing him to lose 10 pounds. There were times when he would share his food with fellow castmates, such as Sydnee Falkner, before he became comfortable in his surroundings.
“I went from your average guy from South Louisiana working a normal job to having 50 cameras in front of my face,” he says. “But by about the week-and-a-half mark, I really got used to it.”
For the fitness-focused outdoorsman who prides himself on his Cajun cooking skills learned from his mother, top cuisine quickly became a luxury he came to appreciate: “They had an in-house chef, and his food was amazing,” he says. “They gave us three meals a day and snacks, and it was all really healthy, clean, single-ingredient foods. It was insane.”
Amid the adjustments, one of his only escapes was trying to fit in a workout. As he became used to his new surroundings, he made do with whatever workout he could manage. The scenic estate balcony became his gym. “I would get my suitcases, pack my clothes and other stuff, and just start curling my suitcase on the balcony,” he recalls. “Or I’d do tricep dips on some patio furniture. That type of stuff.”
Interestingly, it never dawned on Wimberley that the resort might have workout equipment available for him. “One of the staff members saw me curling my suitcase,” he admits. “She said that they have dumbbells here. She came and brought me some dumbbells, and I was good to go after that.”
There’s No Wealth without Having Your Health
Technically speaking, by hitting the gym before spending eight-plus hours underneath the sweltering sun heat helping drill water wells for oil fields, Kyle Wimberley has become accustomed to putting in two-a-days of training. His expertise confirms that there’s nothing similar between the two types of “workouts.”
“It’s different,” he says. “In a gym workout, you have controlled movements in which you’re hitting certain body parts. Here, you’re slinging pipe all day. You’re carrying it on your shoulder, pulling it out of the ground. You’re just cranking on that pipe all day. So, it’s pretty intense and definitely different from the gym.”
Wimberley’s workday begins around 3:45 a.m., allowing him plenty of time to get that first workout in. He says it gives him an energizing boost before arriving at the job site by 6:45. Depending on the day, he could be out in the fields for hours or in the office finishing up some tedious administrative work.
The unpredictability of his daily schedule forces Wimberley to stay on point with his nutrition and hydration—especially in extreme heat conditions. However, on this day, following his return from Million Dollar Secret, something went unpredictably wrong.
“This was 100% unusual because I’m always trying to eat clean,” he says. “I make it very apparent to always stay hydrated. I’ll drink water, salt, potassium—Powerade-type stuff. But I guess it just wasn’t enough.”
Exhausted from the long drive, he felt the effects of sleep deprivation. But like any athletic and hard-working 20-something, he chose to fight through it. He relied on his normally in-sync fitness levels to get him through this grueling 12-hour workday. However, the combination of the heat and admittedly not eating as much as he normally does took a toll. It’s not always easy to eat in the fields, so he usually packs two or three protein bars as a backup for lunch, but this day wasn’t typical.
His condition rapidly deteriorated. Severe nausea and vomiting while in the back of the drilling rig set off alarm bells for him and his coworkers. When he sat in the truck to cool down, a terrifying sensation swept over him: his fingers and toes began to go numb.
Rushed to the hospital by his colleagues, Kyle underwent a challenging night of assessment and treatment. Doctors informed him that his kidneys were in serious danger of failure—an alarming revelation given his otherwise healthy lifestyle. He left the hospital after nine hours. Later tests confirmed no major damage, but the ordeal left Wimberley with a heavy life lesson about how close his kidneys were to being in the “failing range.” He no longer takes his fitness for granted.
“The main thing I was thinking about in the hospital was that I was terrified,” he says. “I didn’t know what was happening or if I was gonna have permanent damage. I usually treat my body like a temple for the most part, so this was scary.”
From Taking Pics to Staying Fit for in Front of the Cameras
With his health now in check, Kyle Wimberley is back to his normal routine of training and outdoors. Over the years he’s also developed a keen interest in taking pictures. “Photography has been a really big hobby of mine for a few years now,” he says. “I mainly got into it to photograph my hunts, but now I also do gym photography. I’ve even done engagement photos as well.”
His positive takeaway from his experience on Million Dollar Secret has encouraged him to pursue a career, this time in front of the cameras. Did the temporary comforts of luxury living fuel this new passion? Possibly. But the challenge of breaking out of his daily routine has inspired him to seek new opportunities.
“I had a resolution to get out of my comfort zone, and I’m still wanting to do that,” he explains. “I would totally do another show or take on more projects that not only push me out of my comfort zone but also allow me to discover new things.”
Moving forward, Wimberley must maintain a focus on his health as he recovers from a recent health setback. A month prior to his kidney incident, he was on a path to get shredded. For this he says he consumed about 2,200 calories a day. “It sounds like a lot for a cut, but with the physical labor involved, it balances out,” he says.
Wimberley has been training since high school. Before attempting to outsmart his MDS opponents, he was outrunning defenders as a running back. “I was pretty fast in high school,” he recalls. “I ran a 4.4 40.”
These days, the chiseled Cajun trains for both performance and aesthetics. He says he follows a muscle-group-specific training plan that he adjusts every nine to twelve weeks. A typical week for Wimberley includes back and biceps on Monday, chest and triceps on Tuesday. He’ll complete the three-day split on Wednesday with legday, before repeating the cycle for the rest of the week.
His routine isn’t flashy; it’s a tried-and-true formula that he says seems to be effective. “It’s hard to keep it interesting sometimes, as we tend to do the same thing over and over again. But it gets results,” he notes.
When it comes to cardio, Wimberley finds a diversified routine works best for him. Swimming reigns supreme, providing a full-body workout while offering a much-needed cooldown from the Southern heat. He also incorporates biking, high-incline treadmill workouts, and even the StairMaster.
Like many aspects of his life these days, cardio can be a challenging but fulfilling blend of different movements and interests. “Mixing it up is key,” he says.
