In honor of CT Tamburello’s 38th birthday and 15 years of being on MTV, this is part three of a three-part series about the Real World and Challenge star. Be sure to check out part one and part two if you missed them.

CT 3.0: The Dad Bod

Following the death of Diem, CT was understandably apprehensive about returning to The Challenge.

He was involved in a nice tribute to her on Battle of the Bloodlines, when he and Diem’s sister Faith demonstrated a challenge, and also competed as a mercenary with Zach on Bloodlines against Mike and Jamie.

But CT’s story arc wasn’t complete, and it wouldn’t have felt right if he never came back for a full show.

Another chapter in CT’s life was beginning, as the birth of his son created a new sense of purpose.

Contrasted to the last image we had seen of CT (on a full season) on Exes II exiting the house concerned for the love of his life’s health, and knowing the pain he must have been in after Diem’s death, seeing him happy and content with his life on Invasion of the Champions was the closure fans needed.

Invasion is the most personal season of The Challenge ever, as there’s more content about the contestants’ lives outside of the show than any other season. CT had more personal content on Invasion than anyone, as the audience was constantly reminded of who he was playing for.

While CT never addressed his feelings about Diem directly (I don’t know if he even said her name once the entire season), he talked about the pain he was in after she died and how his son helped him heal.

When the finalists took part in the Loy Krathong festival, a Thailand ritual in which two lanterns are released into the water symbolizing the past and the future, it couldn’t have been more appropriate for CT.

One lantern could be released to cleanse his past, including the deaths of his brother and Diem. The other lantern symbolized a bright future with his son, and soon an extra $100,000.

CT was the last of the male champions, outlasting Zach, Bananas and Darrell. His elimination win against Darrell is arguably the most impressive accomplishment in his career, and proved that his brain is as much of an asset as his brawn.

In the finals, he was able to edge out Nelson for his second career victory.

CT’s victory on Invasion was one of the most satisfying wins in the history of The Challenge, and it truly completed his story arc after 13 seasons.

In the span of nearly a decade and a half, he had evolved from a gruff, uncouth asshole to a genuinely sweet, loving father. Who could have predicted that?

If he had retired right then and rode off into the sunset, it would have been a perfect ending to his career.

But CT has continued to come on the show, and he’s remained successful. Since returning after Diem’s death, he has picked up wins on Invasion and both seasons of Champs vs. Stars.

His victory on Champs vs. Stars season three was particularly impressive, as he overcame back pain to help Team Dad Bod take home the gold.

CT also reached the finals on Dirty 30 by excelling in the daily challenges, winning six missions and earning his way out of the final Redemption House challenge.

The only time he failed to reach the finals was on Champs vs. Pros, when he stepped aside and allowed Wes to take his place, furthering the bromance between the once rivals.

But make no mistake, the head smasher of days past still lurks inside somewhere.

It’s not as if CT has become Gandhi in recent years, as his treatment toward Brooke Hogan and Aneesa on Champs vs. Stars season three showed.

But the old, tootise pop CT who was hard on the outside and soft on the inside has almost inverted. He’s transformed into a prune — a soft, teddy bear on the outside, but with a hardened interior from 38 years of life.

He’s gone from a kid out of Boston to a father, and soon to be a husband.

CT has extended 15 minutes of fame into 15 years.

Other than longtime reality TV hosts (Jeff Probst, Phil Keoghan, Ryan Seacrest, ect.), there’s really no reality personality who has been on TV as long and as consistently as CT. If you count his Cutthroat and Bloodlines appearances, he’s been on a show every year since 2003.

But the end might be in sight. CT has said that he can’t see himself competing past the age of 40, although he wouldn’t be the first reality star to not follow through on his retirement plan.

He could pull a Wes and stick to the shorter, less intense Champs vs. Stars circuit. Or he could disappear for good, finally settling down with his family and starting a post-reality TV life.

While his dad bod, elder statesman role hasn’t been quite as entertaining as his first two incarnations, anything we get from CT as this point is just icing on the cake.

“I really feel like the luckiest dude on Earth,” he recently told Rolling Stone. “My entire life has been on TV. At one point or another, I’ve been on every continent expect for the South Pole. And I still think it’s one of the best shows on TV. It’s like the Willy Wonka of our generation. You win that Golden Ticket and you’re off to another land.”

Sooner or later, one of the best characters in reality television history will walk away.

After getting to see CT grow up before our eyes over 15 years, it feels like we’re the ones who had the Golden Ticket.

Part 1

Part 2