Billy Brown, the patriarch of the Discovery series “Alaskan Bush People”, died on Sunday at the age of 68.
He died in a seizure, according to a private Instagram of his son, Bear Brown, according to People magazine.
“We are excited to announce that our beloved Patriarch Billy Brown died last night after suffering a crisis,” Bear wrote. “He was our best friend – a father, a grandfather and a wonderful and loving husband and he will miss you dearly.”
In a public post on Instagram, Bear’s sister, Rain – who also walks by Rainy – left an emotional tribute to their father.
“I lost a true friend. Not forever, but only in this world, “she wrote. “Please keep the family in your thoughts and prayers, especially my mother. Please keep your family close to me. Words cannot express how wonderful he was and is. But I will say, the closest thing to an angel I have ever known. God bless you, I love you and I miss you. You will always be my hero. God bless everyone. ”
The official Twitter account of the show also acknowledged “His sudden passing,” calling him “a pioneer, a nice man, and certainly one of a kind.”
The series of realities, which premiered in 2014, follows the growing Brown family – including parents Billy and Ami, plus their children, Matt, Bam Bam, Bear, Gabe, Noah, Snowbird and Rainy – who live off the grid and “deeply in the desert ”, according to the official description of the show.