‘Squid Game’s Mai Breaks Down in Finale Revealing Her Parents Abandoned Her After She Got Pregnant As a Teen: “I Had No One”

Now that Squid Game: The Challenge isn’t following 456 contestants like a madman, the show is getting personal with the final three player, which makes way for Mai Whelan’s emotional story.

The reality show’s finale sees three contestants — Mai, Sam, and Phill — competing for the large cash prize of $4.56 million.

Before moving on to the final game, the show must eliminate one more player. Therefore, the three put on matching suits and meet up for a steak dinner where things get a little candid.

They begin to ask each other about their personal lives, and their organic conversation is intercepted with solo interview sequences.

Mai tells the other finalists, “I grew up in Vietnam. I came over to United States in a refugee camp when I was eight.” She shares that she’s now married with two daughters, and has a granddaughter and two “beautiful dogs.” Though she doesn’t say it, she now lives in Fairfax, Virginia. Fun fact!

“My life in a nutshell,” she says sweetly.

Mai continues her story in a separate interview, “I finished high school at 18 years of age. I lived a very sheltered life that was very strict. I wanted to break out of that shelter.” She decided to join the Navy, which she compared to “going to a pack of wolves.”

The player states that she was “bullied” and fell pregnant at 19 years old. “I was a virgin up until I joined the Navy and I didn’t know anything. So, to get pregnant at 19 was very hard because I had to tell my family that I got pregnant, and then my family cut me off.”

With tears in her eyes, Mai says, “I had no one when I was pregnant. It was very hard. I didn’t know anything about motherhood. I didn’t have anyone.”

Throughout the competition, Mai has been a fairly unproblematic player, except her for bad-blood with Ashley. During the Glass Bridge challenge, Ashley sabotaged another player after the group decided to complete the task as a team. In response, Mai commented, “I think #278 is selfish for not advancing for the team. That has shown her character. Moving forward, I will be watchful for #278. She has shown me that she’s not a team player.”

Later in the game, Mai attempted to vote Ashely off, but was unsuccessful. “As a team yesterday, we needed everybody to be part of it, and I’m sorry Ashley but I have to nominate you,” she explained.

Unhappy with Mai’s decision, Ashley declared that she was “pissed” at the other player.

Mai apologized to Ashley in the next episode, and the two seemingly squashed their beef… Until Ashley was caught talking negatively about Mai as the show continued.

Making it to the finale, Mai held her weight in the competition. Spoilers past this point, but… Mai Whelan won Squid Game: The Challenge! Mai has definitely earned everything she’s received!