Tom Sandoval and his mom Terri Green.Photo:Chelsea Lauren/WireImage
Chelsea Lauren/WireImage
Tom Sandovalwas nearing his breaking point onSpecial Forces: World’s Toughest Testuntil he received some special words of encouragement from someone always in his corner.
TheVanderpump Rulesstar, 41, exclusively opens up to PEOPLE about the tough trials he faced on the boot-camp reality show.
While undertaking training tasks meant for military operatives, Sandoval received a video message from his mother, Terri Green. Her supportive words allowed him to push through the mental and physical blocks formed while participating in the series.
“It was so great,” the reality star says of his mother’s support. “Those were such unbelievably hard days. I mean, we were pushed and pushed and pushed. And that day in particular, when I got that message from my mom, I was so close to giving up.”
Tom Sandoval with his parents Tony Sandoval and Terri Green.Amanda Edwards/Getty
Amanda Edwards/Getty
Sandoval says the cast members onSpecial Forcesare given the “same” compensation “whether you go out day one or the last day.” With money not being a motivating factor, he wanted to pass selection in order to make the “people that are rooting for you back home proud, and yourself as well.”
“I was very much thinking of my family and my friends, and when I saw my mom, I was just like… I didn’t even watch that video for at least a few minutes. I was just so emotional, especially from earlier that day,” he says, referencing a particularly tough test he faced. “It was just the floodgates opening.”
Tom Sandoval on ‘Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test’.Pete Dadds/ FOX
Pete Dadds/ FOX
Fans got a chance to see Sandoval get emotional in last week’s episode ofSpecial Forces: World’s Toughest Testwhen his mother shared her encouraging words.
“Hi Tom! I miss you like crazy but I’m so looking forward to seeing you and hearing all about it,” she said as he broke down in tears. “You take care of yourself and just do it, Tom. All right, I love you. See you soon, not soon enough but soon.”
Sandoval headed to filmSpecial Forceson the heels of the public backlash he faced following hismonths-long affairwith hisVPRcostarRachel “Raquel” Leviss. Their relationship ended hisnine-year partnershipwithAriana Madix.
In a previous episode, Sandoval described the affair as “a pretty juicy f—ing scandal” before elaborating on what he called a “long story.”
“I had an affair, and it just blew up,” he told hisSpecial Forcescostars. “People were messaging me paragraphs of just like vicious, like, so visceral, like, hatred.”
“Before this whole scandal, I would meet people who had probably seen me onVanderpump Rules, and they’d be like, ‘Oh my gosh, he’s so cool,’” he said. “And then now, people think I’m a complete narcissist, creeper vibes.”
Of his decision to join the survival show, he explained, “I’m definitely not here to run away. I want to punish myself. I think I deserve it.”
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Season 2 ofSpecial Forces: World’s Toughest Testcan be streamed in full on Hulu.
source: people.com
