Discovery Channel
The ‘Alaskan Bush People’ Family Tree Actually Includes Secret Family Members
Even first-time viewers of Discovery Channel’s Alaskan Bush People realize that Billy Brown’s family tree must be huge — but the reality is that it’s actually even bigger than you think. And as the family grows while the kids continue to date and settle down, the family tree is only going to keep getting larger. ABP star Noah Brown already started a new branch of his own with wife Rhain Brown just a few months after tying the knot, and Gabe Brown wasn’t far behind. But check out the family tree as it stands now below.
Billy Brown’s Family Tree
Billy Brown’s Older Daughter and First Wife
Notice something? Billy was actually a husband and a father way before he met wife Ami Brown. According to Radar Online, Texas state records show Billy married his first wife as a minor when he was 16 and she was 17. When the Facebook page Alaskan Bush People Exposed obtained the same paperwork, they revealed his wife’s name is Brenda and that, together, they had two daughters: Twila and Brandy.
According to the Exposed page, Billy revealed in his book Lost Years that he and Brenda tied the knot so young because he wanted to be released as a ward of the state. Five years later, the couple divorced — and, according to Billy himself, he seemed to eventually drop out of their lives. Though the Brown family have never publicly mentioned a family member named Brandy, seemingly revealing Brenda and Billy had only had one daughter, Twila made her Alaskan Bush People debut during a 2016 appearance on the show.
During the eldest Brown child’s cameo, the family patriarch claimed he hadn’t seen or spoken to her in about 30 years since she was around 15. Despite the public reunion, Twila doesn’t seem to have stayed in close contact with her relatives. Though she shares the occasional update from her half-siblings on her Facebook page, she has regularly distanced herself from her dad. “Happy Father’s Day to the absentee father,” she wrote in a June 2020 post.
Billy Brown’s Older Grandchildren
If you missed that one episode of Alaskan Bush People, you might not have realized it, but Billy had actually been a grandfather for years. Eldest daughter Twila has two children, though one of her daughters tragically passed away in a car accident a few years before she and Billy briefly reconnected. The mom regularly honors daughter Celie on her birthday, July 17th. She also has another daughter, Bronte Byars, with husband Mike Byars. The mom-daughter duo frequently share selfies together on social media.
Billy Brown’s Younger Children and Second Wife
Billy and Ami actually also married young — though Ami a little younger than Billy. The reality star’s second wife was allegedly only 15 when they tied the knot, about ten years younger than her 25-year-old groom. Together, they had another seven kids, with real names varying wildly from “Matthew” to “Merry Christmas.” We’ve seen them grow up on the show, especially younger daughter Rain, who was only 10 when filming started. The rest of her siblings may have been adults, but they’ve all gone through some major transformations.
Matt Brown hasn’t yet settled down, but Bam Bam Brown seems to be pretty serious in his relationship with one of his show’s producers, Allison Kagan. Two of the younger brothers have already tied the knot — and three of them are now fathers. Noah and Rhain tied the knot in August 2018. In January 2019, Gabe secretly got married to wife Raquell “Rose” Pantilla. A few months later, they had a second ceremony in June 2019, this time attended by friends and family.
Billy Brown’s Younger Grandchildren
In February 2019, Noah and Rhain became the first couple to welcome a little Alaskan bush baby when they had their son, Elijah Connor Brown. The family was quick to fawn over the new addition as aunt Rain Brown gushed, “Dear Elijah Conner, I first met you at 3:30 a.m. Tuesday, February 26th. And I will never be the same.”
In July 2019, Gabe and Rose announced they were following in his little brother’s footsteps with a little one of their own. “We’re so thrilled to share we’re expecting a new addition to our family this November,” they said in a joint statement shared with People. “God has blessed us in so many ways and we can’t wait to meet our little one this fall.” When autumn rolled around, the couple decided to keep their baby’s life private, but The Sun confirmed in May 2020 they welcomed a “healthy” child.
Bear Brown became the next father in the family when his ex-fiancée, Raiven Adams, revealed she was expecting in September 2019. After some major ups and downs, the couple ended their relationship on bad terms as Raiven shared allegations of abuse. She later welcomed their son in March 2020, though his premature birth necessitated a significant stay in the NICU, the newborn intensive care unit. After a minor legal battle, Bear announced a paternity test confirmed he was River’s father in May 2020. The couple has since reconciled.
Younger sisters Bird Brown and Rain may just be third-wheeling and shutting down engagement rumors for now, but it won’t be long until all the kids are having their own kids and this family tree starts getting crazy complicated. Then again, they might have to leave the bush to meet someone (assuming they ever actually lived there) — or they can pull a Bam Bam and just start dating a crew member. But you can bet that, with this many kids, the Brown bush clan is only going to keep expanding.
Billy Brown’s Death
Sadly, the Brown family’s patriarch died on February 7, 2021. Bear took to Instagram to reveal the unfortunate news. “We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved patriarch Billy Brown passed away last night after suffering from a seizure,” he wrote in a tribute. “He was our best friend — a wonderful and loving dad, granddad and husband and he will be dearly missed. He lived his life on his terms, off the grid and off the land and taught us to live like that as well. We plan to honor his legacy going forward, and to continue with his dream. We ask for privacy and prayers during this painful time! God bless everyone!!!”
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