He’s currently flaunting his sneaky side on Celebrity Apprentice Australia, but deep down David Genat is a big old softie and is crazy for his wife and three kids.
WATCH: Survivor’s David ignores his family video message
In 2003, David made the big move to the US to further his modelling career, leaving his two sons Winston and Hugo from his previous marriage back in Perth.
The international model turned reality star then met his now-wife Pearl Christensen, a movement coach and personal trainer, and welcomed daughter Rei.
However, following his second stint on Australian Survivor in 2020 which he won, David along with Pearl and Rei relocated to Australia after 17 years of living in New York.
“Having the kids growing up in different cities has been pretty heartbreaking for us. We’d talked about it for a long time but being financially stable now gave us the ability to do it,” David told Mamamia in 2020.
In a chat with TV WEEK shortly after the Survivor finale, David shared more about what it was like to have children on opposite ends of the planet.
“Two of my boys have been growing up in Perth and they can’t quite get the same relationship through Skype as they would in person,” he told the publication.
“It’s pretty expensive to fly a family of four here and have a place to stay. We were intent on making the move back and Survivor has given me the ability to do that.”
David also revealed that he and the family will be based in the Western Australian capital “for a few years” and revealed that his Survivor prize money would be put towards his family.
“We’re going to use it for the kids’ education, my daughter is dyslexic so there will be a lot going into there and my wife has some health complications with an auto immune problem with Lupus,” he added.
“But we’re going to have some fun too as soon as this coronavirus goes away we’ll take a holiday and I’ll definitely be buying a motorcycle or two.”
It’s safe to say that David is crazy about his little ones.
“I have three kids, I love them to bits,” he revealed on Australian Survivor in 2019. “I try to think of everything I do as a way to help them.”
“Just to have unbridled love right in front of your face and just remembering what that’s about and why you’re out here, it’s just such a good recharge.
Speaking with WHO as part of the 2020 Most Beautiful People issue, David shared his hopes for his daughter in the age of social media and superficiality.
“We want her to be accepted for who she is no matter how she pans out,” he said.
“We want her to be herself and not feel the weight of conventional beauty standards. And look, I’m coming from the modelling business, I’ve been judged on the way I look for 20 years but … I think people are really craving for realness. I try to steer away from using any filters on social media so I can come across as real as possible.”
David and Pearl don’t often share photos of each other on social media but their relationship goes back to at least 2013 when the movement coach shared a sweet photo of David planting a kiss on her cheek.
Pearl also shared a heartfelt message to her man on Instagram after his big Survivor win.
“So proud of this incredible human,” she captioned a photo of the family at the finale.
“He is always up for a challenge, digs into learning new things, tolerates immense stress with grace, doesn’t ever give up and somehow makes almost everything fun. So happy to be in Australia with him.”
This story originally appeared on our sister site Who.
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