When the reality series 'Alaskan Bush People' started, patriarch Billy Brown was the center of the storyline. After all, he was the father of the 'wolf pack,' with seven children and a wife to look after in the Alaskan bush.
Though there were often questions about the authenticity of the show, it hasn't missed a season since its debut in 2014, and fans are intrigued by not just the survival element, but the family's dynamic, too.
But when Billy Brown passed away in February of 2021, viewers were devastated for the Brown family and wondered whether the show would even continue. As it turns out, it has, and the Brown family is intent on memorializing Billy throughout the series and in their daily lives. Here's how they plan to do it.
Billy Brown's Death Was Formally Observed
In a recent episode of 'Alaskan Bush People,' the Brown kids discussed all the ways they planned to honor their late father. While each of the kids has their own memories and special tributes to their dad, as a whole, the family opted to mourn Billy for a set period of time and achieve certain things in that window.
The family decided to spend 40 days mourning Billy Brown's death, involving various close friends in the process and planning specific activities that their dad would have enjoyed.
For example, the two Brown girls, Snowbird and Rain, asked their late father's close friend, and their closest thing to a grandpa, Bill Fuller to give them horseback riding lessons. It had been their dad's dream to teach his children to ride, and while he did instruct his sons a few seasons back, the girls hadn't gotten in the saddle yet.
'Alaskan Bush People' has already aired many of the family's tributes to Billy Brown, but at least one thematic change on the show is also in his memory.
The Brown Family Plans To Mine Gold
In recent episodes, the Brown kids explained that their dad had always talked about mining for gold and had hoped he'd get around to doing so on the family's remote land in Washington (after they moved away from Alaska in previous seasons).
While Billy Brown taught his kids a lot of things, and led them through trials and tribulations, there were a few things he didn't get around to doing.
Rain took the lead in the gold mining operation, as her siblings noted, but the whole family seemed eager to embark on another kind of adventure that is part fruitful hobby and part fulfilling their patriarch's final wishes.
Some of the siblings joked that Rain had gold fever, but it would seem that gold mining is a natural supplement to the family's off-grid goals and lifestyle. Clearly, the show will continue to film and report on the Brown family's findings (or lack thereof). However, there's one sibling still missing from the show.
Did Matt Brown Go To His Dad's Funeral?
Billy Brown's death was a shock to his family, but most of the kids have acknowledged that their dad's health was generally poor prior to the seizure that ultimately led to his death. In fact, the things he wanted to do with his kids were put off because of his ailing health, so there were some earlier signs things weren't going well.
And one thing that has long been an issue with the Brown family is that of their estranged son/brother Matt. Matt Brown was previously removed from the show after various issues with substances and hasn't been heard from much -- apart from posts on his social media accounts.
The fact that Matt was seemingly nixed from the family roster reflects concerns about Billy's relationships with all his kids. And Outsider claims that not only did Matt Brown not appear at his father's services, but also that at one point, the next eldest son (Joshua, AKA Bam Bam) was referred to as the oldest.
However, in an Instagram video, Matt Brown stated that seeing his father's poor health, he realized time might be short. That realization led Matt to "reconcile with [Billy] and find closure before he passed." As far as getting back into the rest of the family's good graces? That seems somewhat unlikely, at least at the moment; the rest of the Brown clan hasn't even mentioned Matt in a good while.
Yet the family is clearly dedicated to commemorating Billy Brown, at least for the thirteenth season of 'Alaskan Bush People.' Given the show's (and family's) history, really anything could happen, as the 'wolf pack' appears to want to stick together and continue their dad's legacy.