The Brown family seemed to come out of nowhere...and that's kind of because they did. The stars of Alaskan Bush People lived in seclusion until their story was picked up by the Discovery Network. Now, we know everything there is to know about the Brown family. Or so we thought.
Here are some things about the Brown family as well-hidden as their lives...until now.
1. Delivery or Pick-Up?
Though the family boasts about being completely off-the-grid from civilization, this isn't entirely true. Not only was their first house just 10 miles away from the nearest town, they were only half a mile from a local pizzeria. If you still qualify for the "30 minutes or free" deal, it's probably not that far away.
2. I Just Play One On TV
In 2016, Noah Brown is filmed going on a date with a girl. It was a big deal on the show, but it turns out none of it was real. The "date" was actually an actress named Karryna Kauffman, whose IMDb credits include tennis rom-com 16-Love and the shorts such as The Song of Birds & Bees and Love in the Time of Flannel.
3. Mother's Wishes
Ami Brown was just 15 when she married Billy, thus requiring permission from her parents to do so. Billy was 26 at the time. Ami's mother gave her permission, but she made the conditions that Ami must remain in high school and finish her education. As soon as Ami and Billy got married, all communication was cut from her family and Ami dropped out of school. When Ami's brother confronted Billy about not holding up his deal, Billy replied "That's none of your mother's business now," and "She belongs to me!"
4. A Little White Lie
Billy Brown and his son, Joshua (or Bam Bam), served 30 days in jail after it was uncovered that they took $20,938 from the state of Alaska. In 2014, the family was charged with 60 counts of first-degree unsworn falsification and first- and second-degree theft for lying on applications to Alaska's Permanent Fund dividend. A judge sentenced Billy and his son Joshua to 30 days in jail, and fined Joshua $5,000, with $2,000 of that suspended. The rest of the family had their charges dropped.
5. Long Lost Family
Billy Brown was married when he was just 16 years old and had a daughter named Twila. The couple split up, and Brown claims he had not seen Twila for over 30 years. The two were reunited on Alaskan Bush People and acted as though they didn't know each other. However, friends of Twila insist that she's been in touch with her father for years. Brown's other kids are also believed to have been in contact with Twila.
6. Matt Brown Almost Died
Matt Brown decided that playing around with gun powder and cannon fuse was a good idea, and it sent him to the hospital. Matt set off an "improvised bear deterrent" which he admits he "took a little too far." However, TMZ's sources claim it was way dumber than that. Apparently, Matt had been storing cannon fuse and gunpowder in a mason jar in the fridge. The mixture was so unstable that it exploded, launched the refrigerator door at Matt's head. Either way, Matt was left with a serious head injury and needed stitches to put his scalp back together.
7. That's Not My Name
Though Bam Bam, Rainy, Birdy, and Bear are interesting names, they're not legally accurate. Most of the Brown family goes by chosen names, although Rainy's real name is crazier than her fake one.
Ami: Amora Lee Branson Brown
Bam Bam: Joshua Bam Bam Brown
Bear: Solomon Isaiah Freedom Brown
Birdy: Amora Jean Snowbird Brown
Rain: Merry Christmas Katherine Raindrop Brown
8. Storybook Life
Billy Brown wrote a novel called "One Wave At A Time," and some fans wonder if that's what the entire series is based around. There are many similarities between his life and the book. Of course, writing can be based off of personal experiences, but it's hard not to see the extreme parallels between the Brown family and the story in "One Wave At A Time."
9. Hotel Living
Though the family is filmed in their secluded house most of the time, rumor has it that's not always where they stay. Residents of Hoonah, Alaska say they've seen the family staying at a local hotel called the Icy Strait Lodge.
10. Life of Tragedy
Billy admits to being born into a lavish life, but it didn't last long.
"I was given new boats and cars for my birthdays. I was truly the luckiest kid in town...I had it all"” money, clothes, big ticket toys, and a loving family too," he said.
However, in 1969, a freak plane crash killed Billy's parents and his older sister. Billy was sent into a depression and ultimately found himself homeless. That's when he decided to live off the grid.