Gabe Brown of Alaskan Bush People and his wife Raquell Rose have split after seven years of marriage, TMZ reported on Friday.
The 35-year-old reality star and Raquell reportedly separated last spring. Sources told the outlet that money struggles and disputes over Brown's other interests caused friction in the marriage.
Raquell became frustrated with her husband's apparent emotional detachment toward her, and with the way he put other family members ahead of her needs and the needs of their three children, according to the sources.
Brown is the fourth son and middle child of late family patriarch Billy Brown, who died in 2021, and matriarch Ami Brown, who continues to live on the family's North Star Ranch in rural Washington state.
The couple began dating on Valentine's Day 2018 after being introduced by Brown's sister, Rain. They married in two ceremonies in 1919. The first was a private legal ceremony in January, officiated by Brown's brother Noah. A second outdoor wedding with family and friends was held in June 2019 and later aired on the show.
At the time of the outdoor wedding, Brown said the moment was everything he had ever dreamed of, and that all his pre-wedding nerves disappeared the instant he saw Raquell walking down the aisle. He described the feeling as coming through a storm and pulling into a safe harbor. Months later, he posted a tribute to her on Instagram calling their love something hard to describe and urging others to cherish those they love.
Brother Matt's Death
The news of Brown's separation comes just months after his older brother Matt died of a suspected suicide at age 43. Matt had been missing for three days before his body was pulled from Washington's Okanogan River by brother Noah on May 30.
Brother Bear said he believed Matt took his own life after observing what appeared to be a self-inflicted wound on the body, though he did not disclose the wound's location or severity. Bear told Us Weekly that a local search team found Matt and transported him by skiff to shore, where the coroner later arrived.
Gabe Brown appeared on 2KTUU AK News Source alongside siblings Noah and Rain shortly after Matt's death. Brown said he had wanted Matt to return to the way he used to be, describing his late brother as fun-loving, full of life, and curious, and saying he had many great memories with him.
Noah said finding Matt's body made the finality of the situation feel real, because until that moment there had been hope that Matt might still be alive. Rain said Matt had been an inspiration to her during her own struggles, and that he once told her if you fall down seven times, stand up eight.
Alaskan Bush People, one of Discovery's most popular reality shows, followed the Brown family as they attempted to live off the grid in remote wilderness. The series ended in 2022 after 14 seasons, less than two years after Billy Brown died at age 68 following a seizure.
