Rupert Boneham is a survivor. In a game that cuts through any pretense, he alone outlived the intense scrutiny of 38 million television viewers in 2004. That’s the year that CBS’s Survivor: All Stars announced that the American public would choose which All Star player deserved a second million-dollar prize. Mark Burnett had never done this before, nor has he since. But, it initiated a sequence of events that Rupert calls his “miracle.” On the finale of Survivor: All Stars, Jeff Probst revealed that four out of five of the 38 million votes were for a “bear” of a man with the heart of gold, Rupert Boneham.
Prior to becoming a millionaire and an instant pop culture icon, Rupert developed his winning ways working with troubled teens in Central Indiana. In 1983, Rupert began his work in the mental health field with mentally handicapped kids in Abilene, TX. During this time, he realized his talent with hard-edged teens whom many other mentors and caregivers had difficulty connecting.
By 1990, Rupert had followed his passion to work with troubled teens in the central Indiana area. In 1991, he purchased his first abandoned property from the city of Indianapolis to provide vocational training to a group of teens that had been expelled from school. The refurbished house was later made available to low-income families. As Rupert’s organization evolved, it became more active in local government projects that, he hoped, would benefit the entire community.
After winning his million dollars, Rupert made good on his promise to donate a large portion to create Rupert’s Kids, the culmination of 20-plus years of work with at-risk teens. Rupert’s Kids, in partnership with the City of Indianapolis, created The Park Adoption Program. The program has saved taxpayers $150,000.00 in the past years and continues to provide a safe, enjoyable work environment for Rupert’s Kids. Rupert continues to raise funds and awareness for Rupert’s Kids through a campaign of nationwide appearances and speaking engagements.
Rupert is no stranger to entrepreneurial risk, either. Rupert owns Tournament Towers, which has 10 crews on the road during football season. The company transports and sets up support gear for high-profile clients as NBC Sunday Night Football, ESPN and The NFL Network to name a few.
Today, we find one of Rupert’s projects at the center of pop culture, yet again. I Saw You On TV is Rupert’s specialty music label that uncovers the hidden musical talents of TV stars. The label will launch I Saw You On TV: Reality Stars, Volume One in May 2008. He already has enough produced to fill a Reality Stars, Volume Two and a Volume Three. Waiting in the wings I Saw You On TV: Soap Stars, Volume One. The label recently announced that it has signed several video game composers to appear on a theme based CD that will provide them with a worldwide stage to present their original musical scores.
Rupert’s book, Just Being Me, was published in 2006 and has inspired tens of thousands of people to turn their lives around. “Rupert’s Kids will always remain my most important work,” he writes. And once again, he’s making good on his promises. When his realty development company purchased a building in Indianapolis, his first deal as the landlord was to rent space to Rupert’s Kids for a dollar a year.
“A true miracle can be measured by how many others it touches.” – Rupert Boneham
