If you think you know the "Wolf Pack" of the hit reality show Alaskan Bush People, you
still may be surprised by parts of their pre-fame past.
Here are some things you probably didn't know about members of the Brown family.
Although he may be roughing it in the wilderness now, Billy Brown was actually born into an
upper-middle class family in Texas.
According to the Discovery Channel, tragedy struck in 1969 when his parents and only sibling
were killed in a plane crash, leaving a 16-year-old Billy orphaned and destitute.
After Brown met his second wife, Ami, they decided to move to Alaska to raise their children.
Billy worked as a commercial fisherman in the North Pacific and considers himself something
of an expert outdoorsman.
His experiences were reportedly the inspiration for his book One Wave at a Time.
Billy eventually led his family out of Alaska in pursuit of fame.
After about four years of persistence, the Browns got their big break.
According to Capital City Weekly, the brood returned to Alaska to film a documentary that
would eventually become Alaskan Bush People.
Billy Brown's wife Ami has a past that's a bit more complicated than Alaskan Bush People
lets on.
According to Radar Online, a marriage certificate indicated she was only 15 years old when she
married a 26-year-old Billy.
"Remember I told you we'll move to Alaska and I'll build you a cabin in the woods and
we'll live happily ever after?”
“I do, it seems so long ago."
Despite her family's reality TV fame, Ami has still managed to preserve some degree
of privacy, particularly when it concerns her life prior to the show.
However, she found herself at the center of a slew of headlines in 2017, when she was
diagnosed with advanced lung cancer and given a three percent chance of survival.
According to People, fans of the show accused her of faking the diagnosis for reality TV,
and the backlash eventually became so intense that Ami's doctor released a statement confirming
her medical records and that she was in remission.
Though Matt Brown is known for his sunny disposition, he had a run-in with police prior to his fame
on the show.
According to Radar Online, he was arrested on DUI charges in August 2013 after a wild
night of partying.
Papa Billy reportedly paid the $250 bail to get him out of jail.
Unfortunately, Matt's drinking problems resurfaced during multiple seasons of Alaskan Bush People
and he has been in and out of rehab.
In March 2019, Matt's condition made headlines again.
According to Radar Online, his loved ones were concerned about his battle to stay sober
after he received about $250,000 for Season 9.
According to Bear Brown's pre-series bio on the family's since-deleted web site, he suffered
a serious injury when he was only 5 years old, breaking a bone near his hip that put
him in a cast from the chest down for about three months.
This incident apparently made him more confident and fearless as a child and catalyzed his
more extreme lifestyle as an adult.
You may eventually see Bear spending less time in Browntown and more time in Tinseltown
because according to Radar Online, he's working on a, quote, "homemade" film.
He told the tab in 2018,
"It is a horror movie and yes, it does involve a lot of death.
[...] The story itself comes from my own twisted mind and I am really enjoying it."
Bear is reportedly the star of the flick, but some of his siblings are involved as well.
If you'd like to know if Gabriel Brown had those super sideburns before Alaskan Bush
People, look no further than his personal YouTube channel, where he did a bit of documenting
before the family began to shoot its TV show.
In one of his last updates, he mentioned that the family would be going to the Alaskan bush,
but implied that he would upload more videos in the future.
With the success of the show, that probably proved impossible, since bush people aren't
really supposed to have access to computers or WiFi, right?
In February 2019, the pack added another member when Gabriel wed Raquell Rose near the family
home in Washington state, as People reported.
Gabriel said at the time,
"We're so happy to have found each other and can't wait for what life has in store for
us."
Before the show, Noah Brown's nickname was "N.D" - for Noah Darkcloud - and his reputation
as a romantic Mr. fix-it was already well established.
"I can assure you that my intentions are completely honorable and that I will protect her honor
with my meager life"
"Okay, that sounds great."
Months before the first season began filming, Noah suffered an injury that forced him to
walk with a cane - and appeared to have lasting effects as time passed.
Noah wed Rhain Alisha in 2018, and in February 2019, the couple welcomed their first child.
"After an 18 hour labor, we finally have him.
So without further ado, this is…”
“This is Elijah Connor, everyone."
According to People, he said,
"Spring is when the birds have their babies, and the deer have their babies, and the bears
and the cougars.
[...] We just fit right in with the animals."
Perhaps one of the most notable things about Joshua "Bam Bam" Brown is how blond his hair
was prior to Alaskan Bush People.
Of the seven children, it appears Bam is the most active online, using YouTube to document
aspects of his life - and to show off his six pack.
Bam seems to have stopped uploading videos around the time the family began trying to
land a TV deal.
In 2016, Bam Bam temporarily left the bush behind to be with a, quote, "city girl," according
to People.
He said at the time,
"I hope we can blend our lives together and I can take her back to Alaska."
Multiple gossip sites identified his love interest to be Allison Kagan, who reportedly
worked as a producer on the show.
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