It’s been over a decade since “Alaska: The Last Frontier” premiered on Discovery, but the excitement regarding the Kilcher family hasn’t decreased.
While it’s not surprising that reality shows based on people living alternative or out-of-the-norm lifestyles get a lot of attention, the thing with the Kilcher family is that they remain genuine and interesting despite the fame and popularity.
Even if the show’s most famous cast members are mostly Atz, Otto and Jewel, the rest of the Kilcher family is well remembered by either their personality, work ethic or even by some infamous incident or tragic situation they might have been through.
Although in the case of Shane Kilcher we surely appreciate him for his positive personal traits, the accident he suffered in 2017, and his following prolonged absence from the show are surely always present in the audience’s minds when his name is brought up.
What happened to Shane Kilcher then? Has he recovered, or is still physically incapacitated ? Why did he leave the show? You just need to keep watching this vid to get all the answers to these questions!
Contents
- 1 What Happened To Shane Kilcher?
- 2 Health Update: How Is He Doing Today?
- 3 Why Did Shane Kilcher Leave The Show?
- 4 Has This Situation Affected Their Finances?
- 5 Who Is Shane Kilcher?
- 6 Career and Debut On TV
- 7 Who Else Has Suffered Accidents In The Show?
- 8 Did He Sue Anyone?
- 9 Otto Kilcher’s Near Death Experience
- 10 What’s Up With The Kilcher Family?
What Happened To Shane Kilcher?
Shane Kilcher hasn’t appeared in “Alaska: The Last Frontier” since the show premiered its eight season in 2018, as he did prior to it. However, while later we’re going to get into the reasons his appearances in it decreased dramatically, it’s important to point out his primary absence from TV was due to an accident he suffered back in 2017, which unfortunately left him unable to do too much physically.
As was reported, Shane Kilcher broke his back after falling from a ladder while doing repairs to a house. He landed on his back, which caused a severe fracture, and broke a vertebrae.
While he was taken immediately to the nearest hospital in Homer, his family was visibly upset and filled with uncertainty regarding not only the-then current state of his health, but the negative repercussions it could leave him living with it in the long run. As Shane’s wife Kelli admitted on a Facebook post, the fact her husband couldn’t even move filled her with worry, not knowing if he would ever be the same. Surely it was a situation extremely distressing for the health implications it entailed, and from the financial aspect as well, considering Shane was in charge of providing for his family back then.
Health Update: How Is He Doing Today?
It’s been years since Shane Kilcher suffered the accident which led him to undergo many months of rehabilitation. However, following his successful recovery, he still didn’t appear in “Alaska: The Last Frontier” very often afterwards, leaving many open questions regarding the situation he endured, and how he overcame it.
Nonetheless, while he’s never given an interview about it, on the Facebook page “Shane and Kelli Kilcher” people usually inquire about his well-being, and as his wife personally manages the account, she’s always open to answer their doubts.
It’s thanks to this page that Shane’s nowadays condition of good health is easily observable, as Kelli often shares videos of him during their car trips, time spent with friends and even visual evidence of him leading repairs to the homestead buildings. However, seeing Shane doing the latter has raised the page’s followers’ eyebrows, and in November 2020 one fan asked why Shane was working on such a dangerous thing after suffering a terrible accident years ago while doing the same. To this, Kelli answered that Shane has ‘healed up’, and is still ‘one of the most capable guys on the homestead’.
Nonetheless, while we might never get to know all the details regarding Shane’s recovery, it’s nice and relieving to know he’s better nowadays.
Why Did Shane Kilcher Leave The Show?
The big question your mind might have come out with, is that if Shane Kilcher’s health is well nowadays, why hasn’t he returned to “Alaska: The Last Frontier” as a full-time cast member?
However, the answer to this question might not be as clear or concise as we would like. What we know so far thanks to Kelli’s Facebook posts is that the reason she and her husband haven’t been showcased as often in the show in recent years has more to do with an executive decision Discovery channel took, and less with Shane’s health condition, though what led the network to decide this is unknown.
As it turns out, in 2017 Shane and Kelli Kilcher’s contract with Discovery ended, but instead of renewing it, the network decided to leave them aside. It’s for this reason that regardless of the fact they’re important members of the family, their presence in the show was reduced to a few episodes per season.
As Kelli also affirmed, the Kilcher family had tried to include them more in the show, but as the decision is not really in their hands, not a lot has changed.
Has This Situation Affected Their Finances?
If you’re wondering if this situation that has been going on with the network affected them in other aspects, then you assumed rightly.
From the financial aspect, not being able to appear in the show regularly affected them greatly, as their income from “Alaska: The Last Frontier” had been supporting them financially for six years. Besides the normal implications of not being able to get paid a salary, the money situation for Shane and Kelli took a turn for the worse when Shane suffered his accident.
If you watched the show loyally back when they were recurring cast members in it, you might remember Shane was building his and Kelli’s shared cabin. However, that was a project that unfortunately had to be put on hold following their deteriorating financial situation, and Shane’s inability to work on it personally.
The Kilchers prepare for fall on a new #AlaskaTheLastFrontier starting NOW! pic.twitter.com/KgElJjshq2
— Alaska: TLF (@AlaskaTLF) January 11, 2021
That’s what Kelli affirmed on Facebook at the time, also adding that even if they couldn’t finish the building of their home, they were trying to find a way to get another income, and be able to afford the building by 2018, though in the end it’s unclear if they ever achieved said goal.
Who Is Shane Kilcher?
As the oldest child of Azt Kilcher and Lenedra Carroll, Shane was seemingly always in charge of his younger siblings, Atz Lee and Jewel.
However, living in a desolated area near Homer, Alaska, it’s normal that the children grew used to the harshness and difficulties of the weather and the environment around their home. Even for his early education, Shane and his siblings had to walk a long way to get to school.
As it’s said, difficulties always bring knowledge with them.
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(Video) Shane Kilcher Injury Updates - What happened to him?
This is why despite having a non-conventional childhood and having his parents divorced when he was only 10 years old, Shane learnt from it. Ultimately, he matriculated from Homer High School and even if he didn’t pursue higher education, his mind and heart was set to remain in Alaska for the rest of his life.
Having met his wife Kelli while still in high school, Shane married early in life, and has welcomed four sons with her. As you might have already noticed, Kelli is not only supportive of him in every project he undertakes, but also adapted easily to his family’s lifestyle.
Career and Debut On TV
Shane Kilcher and his wife Kelli only debuted on “Alaska: The Last Frontier” in 2012, when the show was already in its second season.
However, as much as you might think that Shane’s only talent is to repair things and survive in the cold Alaskan wintery weather, then you couldn’t be more wrong.
Unexpectedly, Shane also played a big part in the founding of Higher Ground for Humanity along with his mother and younger sister Jewel, who is a Grammy Award winner. The organization’s goal is to help people of all backgrounds with the financial support to achieve their dreams.
As it’s also stated on Shane’s LinkedIn profile, he was a manager for the Clean Water Project for over 13 years, until his retirement in 2010. Nowadays the project is still in business, and actively looks out to keep Alaska’s natural water reserves clean.
Who Else Has Suffered Accidents In The Show?
While Shane Kilcher’s accident was a shame, especially considering the difficult situations that followed it, it’s important to point out that due to their outdoorsy lifestyle and habit of doing everything by themselves, accidents of the same type are unfortunately not unusual for the Kilcher family.
For starters, Shane’s younger brother, Atz Lee Kilcher also suffered an accident back in 2015 while hiking. Although the activity should have gone smoothly considering how much of an expert Atz Lee is, it ended up in disaster when he fell off a cliff.
His injuries resulting from it were extensive and severe, as his wife Jane revealed back then, breaking his hip, arm, ankle, shoulder and several ribs, in addition to puncturing a lungs. Of course, he started receiving medical treatment immediately, but recovering from it was a long and challenging process to say the least, even if he affirmed that his bones were recuperating quite fast.
Did He Sue Anyone?
The thing with Atz Lee’s accident wasn’t only how severe it was, but that it ended up in a lawsuit.
As it turns out, his accident occurred while he was hiking on the property of the Alaskan Resort Otter Cove. In the lawsuit Atz filed against the business, he claimed that his accident was caused by several failures in the resort’s security measures, specifically that the cliff he fell from wasn’t appropriately marked as such, which made it ‘deceptive and dangerous’ and allegedly directly caused his accident. For this he asked $100,000 in compensation to cover medical costs and damages.
Whether or not his claims held any truth, that didn’t matter as the Otter Cove was fast to respond to the accusations with a counter-argument, insisting that they didn’t have any liability for what had happened to Atz Lee, as the accident was allegedly caused by his own negligence.
Unfortunately, after the initial news of the lawsuit was revealed by the website The Blast, the development of the case became unknown; either that Atz Lee withdrew the lawsuit of his own accord or the Otter Cove offered him an out-of-court agreement to solve the issue.
Otto Kilcher’s Near Death Experience
Shane Kilcher’s uncle Otto has had his fair share of threatening and life-endangering experiences, to the point that unfounded rumors about his death have surfaced several times on the internet.
While his lifestyle demands putting himself in slightly dangerous situations from time to time, so far the most worrisome experience the “Alaska: The Last Frontier”s viewers have seen him going through happened in 2017 during the show’s sixth season’s finale, when he was diagnosed with a blood clot caused by an hernia.
His diagnosis was accompanied by grim news, as apparently the clot could have reached his internal organs and killed him within 24 hours if he didn’t have immediate emergency surgery.
Loyal to his daring nature, Otto chose to undergo the surgery with local anesthesia instead of a general, as he affirmed it could affect his liver and it would be hard to clean it naturally afterwards. In his words, he was able to feel the doctor’s ‘sew’, which only proves how tough he actually is.
Fortunately for everyone, Otto overcame the situation, still going through a long and exhausting recovery process. In his words, the toughest part was to stay put and do nothing for months, something which is believable from someone as physically active and work-driven as Otto Kilcher is.
Shane getting sucked in by a pair of puppy dog eyes! It also helps he loves Kelli so much he said yes!
Posted by Shane and Kelli Kilcher onTuesday, April 3, 2018
What’s Up With The Kilcher Family?
Although Shane and his wife don’t appear in “Alaska: The Last Frontier” as much as we would like, the rest of the Kilcher family have continued to actively appear in the show.
Continuing to live up by their own standards in an insulated Alaskan area, the Kilcher’s have had no problem dealing with global contingencies such as the COVID-19 spread, which didn’t affect them directly. However, as the producers of the show had to be evacuated well into the filming process of the show’s ninth season due to the pandemic, the Kilchers continued on to film the series themselves.
By the time the show’s tenth season aired in 2021, things seemed to be more stable for the production crew, but Discovery hadn’t shown any signs of changing their mind about not showcasing Shane and Kelli Kilcher full-time in “Alaska: The Last Frontier”. Either way, fans haven’t entirely lost their hopes of seeing them on TV again, even regardless of how difficult it looks.
FAQs
Did Shane ever finish his cabin? ›
It was a lot of work helping Shane and Kelli Kilcher finish their house but well worth it!
What happened to Shane on Alaska Frontier? ›“We're in the hospital in Homer, and Shane fell off a ladder and broke his back,” wife Kelli says in the video.
Did Shane on Alaska: The Last Frontier get his house built? ›Shane & Kelli Kilcher of the Discovery series Alaska: The Last Frontier have built a beautiful cordwood cabin on their land near Homer, Alaska.
Did Otto Kilcher pass away? ›Thankfully, that's just a rumor. The mechanic is still kicking, though viewers did witness Otto grapple with a whole host of medical issues in Season 6 of the series.
Did Shane ever get his house built? ›Shane & Kelli Kilcher of the Discovery series Alaska: The Last Frontier have built a beautiful cordwood cabin on their land near Homer, Alaska.
How much do the families on Alaska: The Last Frontier get paid? ›But how much do the Kilchers make from Alaska The Last Frontier every year? A recent Business Insider article can help with an educated guess. “Nobodies” on a standard cable reality show can expect to earn approximately $1,500 per episode, or about $19,500 for a standard 13-episode season.
Who got divorced on Alaska: The Last Frontier? ›Before Jane graced the small screen, the beauty was married to an Alaskan native named Dicran Kassouni. Per TheCinemaholic, very little is known about Jane and Dicran's divorce. Jane never publicly acknowledged her reasoning for moving on.
Is Jane on Alaska: The Last Frontier a nurse? ›I have worked as a registered nurse in remote villages in alaska. I commercial fished for 11years, then started a family.
Why is ATZ senior living on a boat? ›Pursuing his father's pioneer spirit, Atz Sr. embarks on one of his biggest challenges – building the family's first floating homestead. He finds an abandoned barge and sets out to make it an extensive floating homestead that he and the family can use to travel.
Where does the camera crew stay on Alaska: The Last Frontier? ›The day to day activates of the Kilcher's frontier life is the focus of Discovery Channel's 2014 Emmy nominated Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program “Alaska: The Last Frontier.” A crew of DPs and camera operators live at the Kilcher's level, capturing their hunting excursions, cattle wrangling and challenges of ...
Can you still build a cabin in Alaska? ›
Building Permits in Alaska
In most incorporated areas of Alaska, you need to get a permit for most construction projects over 120 square feet. There are exceptions, though. For example, Matanuska-Susitna Borough does not require building permits, but they do require plan reviews for new multi-family buildings.
August, who recently left college to return to his family's homestead near Homer, AK, is the son of Otto and Charlotte Kilcher.
How much is Otto worth? ›Michael Otto's net worth of $6.15B can buy ...
What happened to Mike on Alaska: The Last Frontier? ›Mike Masland(1972-2015)
Mike was a producer and director, known for Alaska: The Last Frontier (2011), Tattoo Hunter (2009) and Weapon Masters (2008). Mike died on 14 October 2015 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
Otto is trampled by a cow during a severe snowstorm and must be rescued before he succumbs to his life-threatening injuries.
What happened to Shane's wife? ›Caitlin Shane: was a loving mother and wife who also practiced expression. After losing her son, she tried to revive him using expression, but she died due to overuse of magic.
Where are Shane and Shane now? ›Shaina is now married to Christos Lardakis, while Shayne continued to have an on-and-off relationship with Natalie before they called it quits for good ahead of After the Altar.
How much money do Alaskans get a month? ›How much does Alaska pay a month? Alaska's incentive program dates back to 1976, and it's called the Permanent Fund Dividend. How much do you get paid to live in Alaska, though? In the past, citizens have qualified for up to $1,600 for simply living in Alaska, and in 2021 the amount was $1,114.
Where do Alaska homesteaders get money? ›Since 1976, Alaska has paid its residents to live there via its Permanent Fund Dividend. The payouts are funded by Alaska's oil royalties and are divided up evenly among citizens. Yearly payouts vary, but the 2022 dividend was $3,284.
What do the people on Alaska: The Last Frontier do? ›The show documents the extended Kilcher family, descendants of Swiss immigrants and Alaskan pioneers, Yule and Ruth Kilcher, at their homestead 11 miles outside of Homer. By living without modern heating, the clan chooses to subsist by farming, hunting and preparing for the long winters.
Is Jane the mother of Etienne? ›
But there are two members of the Kilcher family you won't get to see: Jane and Atz Lee Kilcher's children, Etienne and Piper.
Who is Jane's daughter on Alaska: The Last Frontier? › Why is Jane from Alaska last frontier? ›Jane is originally from Homer, Alaska, not far from the Kilcher Homestead. She spent years as a commercial fisherwoman living a life "surrounded by storms and men." After their shared love of music landed her in the arms of Atz Lee, she left fishing and moved to the homestead.
How old is Emily Riedel? › Who is Atz Lee married to? › How long have Jane and ATZ been married? ›Atz Lee Loves Jane. Atz Lee shares what he loves about Jane after 10 years of marriage Jane.
Did Atz Senior get divorced? ›Atz and his ex-wife Lenedra Carroll have three children together — Shane Kilcher, Atz Lee Kilcher, and Jewel Kilcher. So, what happened to Atz's former wife? Lenedra and Atz initially married in the late '60s before ultimately divorcing two decades later.
Did Atz Lee build his cabin? ›Building a Cabin
Atz Lee was joined by his son, Etienne Kilcher and father Atz Kilcher to construct an impressive looking structure. He later reflected about the work in an emotional Instagram post. "It was a blessing and a challenge to build this cabin with my son @ekilchrrrr and dad @atzkilcher .
...
*Charter Alaska Motor Yacht.
| Length | 46.4m / 152'3 |
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| Top Speed | 17 Knots |
After about six months of their refuge lifestyle, the Seldens packed up for a 250-mile trek to Fairbanks. That's where they live until it's time to return to the cabin. Their trapping permit states they cannot live there year-around.
How many cabin permits are left in the Alaskan refuge? ›
According to the show's intro, only seven cabin permits remain under a grandfather clause, entitling the occupants and their immediate descendants to continue living on the refuge.
What happened to Heimo and Edna on The Last Alaskans? ›But over time, Heimo Korth became a legend. Today, Heimo and his wife Edna live more remotely than anyone else in Alaska. They are the only permanent residents of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, having settled there just prior to its designation, and will almost certainly be the last.
Can you lay claim to land in Alaska? ›No. Homesteading ended on all federal lands on October 21, 1986. The State of Alaska currently has no homesteading program for its lands.
What cities in Alaska have no property tax? ›Port Alexander: The Town In Alaska Without Property Taxes.
Is it cheaper to buy or build a house in Alaska? ›It costs $34,000 more on average to construct a new home than to buy one. Home building costs in Alaska are between $240,000 to $300,000 for a 2,000 sq. ft home. This cost varies depending on the size, type, and location of the property.
What happened to August on Alaska: The Last Frontier? ›ALASKA: THE LAST FRONTIER 8
The only child of Otto and Charlotte, August left the homestead after high school and enrolled in college down in the lower 48. Upon realizing he wasn't cut out for a more conventional lifestyle, he recently returned to the homestead — the only way of life he has ever known.
But season 11 wasn't promised, and while news of the Kilcher family coming back on the air was welcome, the next worry is that 2023 will be the end of the family's reality TV run.
What happened to eivin kilcher? ›Today, Eivin lives a hybrid lifestyle between that of a hunter/gatherer and a farmer. With this life, he hopes to successfully provide himself and his wife with food through the winter. Hunting, however, remains his largest gamble.
How much is Elba worth? ›As of 2022, Idris Elba has a net worth of $40 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Not only has Elba amassed his millions through his acting work, but also his work as a producer, singer, rapper, DJ, and podcaster.
Where is Atz Senior's wife Bonnie? ›She soon after began hearing Atz's music and stories about the Kilcher family. In 1978 she made her first trip out to the homestead where they pulled her into the barn and they threw her on a horse. She has lived in Alaska ever since.
What is Modine net worth? ›
How much a company is worth is typically represented by its market capitalization, or the current stock price multiplied by the number of shares outstanding. Modine Manufacturing net worth as of March 10, 2023 is $1.25B.
Did Shane from Alaska: The Last Frontier ever finish his house? ›It was a lot of work helping Shane and Kelli Kilcher finish their house but well worth it! Probably one of my most favorite structures and certainly the most important addition to the homestead this year!
What happened to the oldest son on Alaska: The Last Frontier? ›Oldest son Matt Brown won't be appearing on the next season of the Discovery Channel series after entering rehab for alcohol addiction. "It was his decision to drop everything and go fix what he hadn't fixed,” dad Billy Brown told People magazine. "He's fighting a hard road. He has for a long time.
Did Otto Kilcher survive his accident? ›In the comments, fans reacted to his accident. "I shed a few tears for you Otto and very happy you're OK! Many Blessings," read one comment. Another fan capitalized on how lucky Otto was to have made it out alive.
Do the people on Alaska: The Last Frontier really live like that? ›For the most part, though, Alaska: The Last Frontier appears to be pretty true-to-life. The Kilcher family really does exist and really does work together to survive as homesteaders in the Alaskan wilderness.
Did anyone pass away on Alaska: The Last Frontier? ›Thankfully, that's just a rumor. The mechanic is still kicking, though viewers did witness Otto grapple with a whole host of medical issues in Season 6 of the series.
Is Etienne Jane's son on Alaska: The Last Frontier? ›Who are Jane Kilcher's kids? Jane and Atz Lee have two children: Etienne (19) and Piper (17). We never see them on Alaska: The Last Frontier because she and Atz made the decision to keep them off air for their own privacy and to protect them from trolls.
Who broke their back on Alaska: The Last Frontier? ›What is Atz Lee doing about his fall? Two years after his fall, Atz filed a lawsuit against the Alaskan resort Otter Cove seeking damages asking for $100,000 claiming the resort was responsible for his fall.
What is Shane Kilchers net worth? ›Shane Kilcher net worth: Shane Kilcher is an American reality television personality who has a net worth of $1 million. Shane Kilcher was born in May 1971. He is best known for starring on the reality TV series Alaska: The Last Frontier. He married Kelli Kilcher in 1990 and the couple has four children.
Is August Charlotte's son on Alaska: The Last Frontier? ›ALASKA: THE LAST FRONTIER 8
August poses in the excavator as he waits instruction to get the Constructor to land. The only child of Otto and Charlotte, August left the homestead after high school and enrolled in college down in the lower 48.
Where did Bonnie go on Alaska: The Last Frontier? ›
Bonnie ran into an old classmate in Saranac Lake who told her stories of Alaska, and that he would give her a ride if she wanted to go. They drove across the country, up the coast, landed in the town of Homer, and pitched a tent on the beach - all in just 9 days.
How far did Ott's Lee fall? ›The plot recently revolved around Atz Lee, who was injured after falling 40 feet down a cliff. In last Sunday's episode, we meet Atz Lee in the intensive care unit at the Central Peninsula Hospital with his wife.
Did ATZ Senior get divorced? ›Atz and his ex-wife Lenedra Carroll have three children together — Shane Kilcher, Atz Lee Kilcher, and Jewel Kilcher. So, what happened to Atz's former wife? Lenedra and Atz initially married in the late '60s before ultimately divorcing two decades later.
How much is Otto on Alaska Frontier worth? ›Otto Kilcher net worth: Otto Kilcher is an American mechanic and reality television personality who has a net worth of $4 million dollars. Born in Alaska, Otto Kilcher grew up raising cattle on his family's farm. Always interested in mechanics, he began collecting broken machinery and repairing it.
How much is Eve from Alaska Last Frontier worth? ›Eve Kilcher net worth: Eve Kilcher is an American hunter, farmer, and reality television personality who has a net worth of $2 million dollars. Eve Kilcher was born in Alaska, and is married to trapper and fisher, Eiven Kilcher.