Alaskan Bush People’s Bear Brown recently took to his private Instagram account to share a reassuring clip of his parents, Billy and Ami, looking well.
The clip showed Billy and Ami standing together outside in the snow, and Billy shared holiday greetings with their fans.
“Well, from the mountain to you guys, Ami and I just wanted to say belated Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year. And God bless you all.”
Ami also said:
“May this next year be a glorious and prosperous one. Peace on Earth to everyone.”
The clip came as a relief to fans following recent health scares for the patriarch and matriarch of the Brown family. Billy fell sick and was admitted to hospital in September 2019.
Ami was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer in April 2017. Ami’s cancer went into remission after chemotherapy and radiation treatment.
Ami’s illness forced the family to relocate from the Alaskan bush to their new North Star Ranch property in the North Cascade Mountains of Washington State.
What happened when Billy fell sick?
Billy’s son Bear, 32, explained on Instagram in September 2019 that his dad was battling “major medical issues.”
Bear also revealed that Billy underwent surgery in September.
“Hey everyone, I just wanted to keep you posted. My dad is still having some major medical issues. In fact, he got out of surgery just the other day—but has a lot more tests to do, so we’re still in town. Thanks for sticking with us and God bless.”
A few days later, Bear posted an update, saying that Billy was feeling better. He posted a photo showing Billy lying in bed with Noah and grandson Elijah Connor Brown (Rhain’s son).
He captioned the photo:
“[He’s] doing better! With the best kind of medicine! A grandbaby!!!”
Bear did not share information about the nature of Billy’s illness, but we know that the health issue caused him to have breathing difficulties, which led to speculation that the problem had to do with his heart.
The doctors reportedly told Billy when he first went to the hospital that he could not return to their mountain homestead in rural Washington due to the illness.
They explained he would continue to suffer breathing difficulties due to the thin air in the mountains. Billy returned to the mountains despite doctors’ advice.
Billy previously had a history of medical issues. He was hospitalized for an upper respiratory tract infection and in 2018.
An incident in which he suffered seizures was also documented on camera in 2015 (see video above), but he recovered.
Alaskan Bush People airs on Wednesdays at 8/7c on Discovery Channel.