Alaskan Bush People star Bear Brown said his “life will never be the same” without his late father, Billy Brown, in a heartwarming Valentine’s Day Instagram post on Sunday. It was his first post since he and the Discovery Channel announced Billy’s death. Billy suffered a seizure at the family’s Washington home on Feb. 7. He was 68 years old.
“Remembering my Dad! I love and miss him very much! My life will never be the same without him! Love you more, [Dad]!” Brown, 33, wrote on his private Instagram page. Brown shared a photo of his father and mother, Ami Brown, 57. In just an hour, the post racked up over 10,000 likes and dozens of comments from fans wishing him well. “Ugh, I hope your Mum is doing as best as she can,” one fan wrote. “Praying for you man I’ve lost my mom recently [losing] a parent is a different type of pain,” another wrote. “Condolences to you and your family,” another commented. “God Bless you all!”
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This image was Brown’s first post since announcing his father’s death. At the time, he said the surviving Brown family members would keep the family patriarch’s dreams alive. “He lived his life on his terms, off the grid, and off the land and taught us to live like that as well,” Brown wrote. “We plan to honor his legacy going forward and to continue with his dream. We ask for privacy and prayers during this painful time!”
The Discovery Channel and the Brown family announced Billy’s death on Monday. Billy was a “trailblazer, a lovely man, and most definitely one of a kind,” the network said in its statement. “Our heart is with his family and those that knew him and loved him as they deal with this devastating loss.” Brown’s younger sister Rain Brown said she lost a “true friend” when her father died and asked fans to pray for her mother. “Words cannot express how wonderful he was and is. But I will say, the closest thing to an angel I’ve ever known,” Rain, 18, wrote of her father. “God bless you da I love and miss you dearly. You will always be my hero. God bless everyone.”
It has since been reported that Billy suffered a seizure at his Washington home on the afternoon of Feb. 7. Brown tried to call 911 but was not able to get through. He told a member of the Alaskan Bush People crew to call, and they got through, according to an investigative report obtained by The Sun. When the responding deputy arrived, CPR was administered, but they were unable to revive Brown. A medical helicopter was requested, but the Sheriff’s office said Billy died at home. “Medics and fire were on the scene an hour and a half before the Sheriff’s Office was called. We respond to all deaths,” a Sheriff’s office spokesperson told The Sun. “At this point, nothing suspicious or criminal.”
