Atz Lee Kilcher’s wife is Jane Kilcher, a 49 year-old American reality television personality born on September 14, 1974, and popularly known for her appearance on Alaska: The Last Frontier. Surviving through self-sufficiency and a natural lifestyle on the frigid Alaskan landscape is no task for the faint-hearted, and Jane Kilcher is up for it. She is fierce, determined, and an outright badass.
Summary of Jane Kilcher’s Biography
- Full Name: Christina Jane Kilcher née Ferman
- Gender: Female
- Date of Birth: 14 September 1974
- Place of Birth: Alaska, United States
- Jane Kilcher’s Age: 49 years old
- Ethnicity: Caucasian
- Nationality: American
- Zodiac Sign: Virgo
- Sexual Orientation: Straight
- Religion: Christianity
- Marital Status: Married
- Jane Kilcher’s Husband: Atz Lee Kilcher
- Jane Kilcher’s Child: Piper Isolde Kassouni
- Jane Kilcher’s Stepchild: Etienne Kilcher
- Jane Kilcher’s Parents: Bob and Sarah Ferman
- Siblings: Bobby Ferman and Jessica Browning
- Jane Kilcher’s Height in Inches: 5 feet 4 inches
- Jane Kilcher’s Height in Centimetres: 165 cm
- Jane Kilcher’s Net Worth: $4 million
- Famous for: Being Atz Lee’s wife and a TV personality
- Jane Kilcher’s Instagram: janekilcher
- Facebook: JaneKilcher
How Old is Jane Kilcher?
Jane Kilcher is 49 years old as of 2024 and is from Homer, Alaska, United States of America. Interestingly, the first 12 years of her life were spent in Anchorage, where the whole family lived before moving back to their base in Homer in 1986. She was born Christina Jane Ferman to parents Bob and Sarah Ferman on 14 September 1974. Jane isn’t an only child; she has two siblings, Bobby Ferman and Jessica Browning.
High school for Jane was at a local institution, and college followed afterward. It isn’t known yet when or how, but Jane ventured into fishing, becoming a commercial fisherwoman and ‘unknowingly’ gaining skills that proved valuable in her future family’s subsistence living.
Growing up in Anchorage and then Homer, it is easy to imagine what Jane’s life must have been like. Alaska, of course, isn’t completely cut off from the rest of the world, but just like the show’s name implies, it is one of the ‘last frontiers’. Jane’s life must have been filled with a lot of outdoor activities: hunting, gathering, fishing, building, horse riding, and other activities needed to survive the winter.
Jane Kilcher Got Famous For Being Atz Lee’s Wife
Whenever you watch the show, you might see Jane being described with the caption ‘Atz Lee’s wife’, well this wasn’t always the case. Yes, she was Ferman as a single lady, but Atz Lee isn’t actually her first husband as she was once married to Alaskan native Dicran Kassouni – the father of Jane’s only daughter. Information as to how and when the two met as well as the reason for their divorce, is currently not available. What we know is that Dicran Kassouni lives in Seldovia, Alaska.
Interestingly, Jane met her future husband, Atz Lee, when she was 12 years old. After her family moved to Homer from Anchorage, a teenage Jane had gone wandering and wandered into Atz Lee’s homestead, which wasn’t quite far from Jane’s home.
We bet Jane never thought she would one day be married to the then 11-year-old Atz Lee. But as at when the two met, fate had an entirely different itinerary for both. Jane had to go off and become a fisherwoman and even got married and had a daughter before the two found their way back to each other. It was their love for music that ultimately drew them closer to each other, and in 2006, the pair got married in an intimate ceremony.
Atz Lee himself also had a past; he had been married and divorced just like Jane and also had a son. Both were in their second marriages, and Jane had to leave her life as a professional fisherwoman to move to the Kilcher Homestead. Jane’s daily life, of course, changed with the move; she became a homemaker, working alongside her husband and his extended family to sustain their family from the resources they could garner from the land.
Now, let’s get to the fame part. If Jane hadn’t been married to Atz Lee, she wouldn’t have been featured in the Discovery Channel reality television show Alaska: The Last Frontier. The Kilchers were approached, on recommendation by Discovery Channel, to be their feature family in their reality TV series on life in one of the most remote places on earth. And as the saying goes, the rest is history.
Alaska: The Last Frontier quickly became one of the viewers’ favorites, and with its popularity, the members of the Kilcher homestead rose to fame. Like any other reality T.V show, Alaska: The Last Frontier is a mixture of deliberate drama and hard facts, so it would be foolhardy for viewers to take it as the absolute real deal. However, this does not stop viewers from recognizing and admiring the industrious and resourceful Jane Kilcher. If anything, she aptly represents the modern woman: independent and resilient.
Their Marriage Has Not Always Been Rosy
Jane’s marriage has been under a lot of scrutiny since the show aired. For Jane, leaving her fishing career for life on the Kilcher’s homestead might not have been a bad decision. After all, the Kilchers are relatively well off. Her husband’s father, Yule Kilcher, had migrated to Alaska from Switzerland and established the 600-acre Kilcher homestead 80 years ago. He even served as a member of the Alaska State Senate from 1963 to 1966.
In August of 2015, while on a hike, Atz Lee was involved in a fatal accident. Though an experienced hiker, he fell off a cliff and broke 26 bones, puncturing both lungs in the process. The Discover series documented his difficult recovery, which, surprisingly, some viewers found in bad taste. It was during this period that speculations began to mount on the couple’s possible divorce, as Jane was faced with the burden of not only providing for their home but also catering to Atz Lee’s needs.
Jane was quick to put the rumors to rest, affirming the couple’s commitment to each other. Atz Lee will go on to make a full recovery, and the couple even renewed their vows in a special ceremony in 2016.
Is Jane Kilcher Still Married?
Jane Kilcher is currently separated from her husband, Atz Lee. In late July 2023, Jane Kilcher took to Facebook to reveal that Lee was filing for divorce. She described the situation as an unfortunate one that was beyond her control. She also made it known that she would move on with her life despite the fact that it hurts to lose her best friend.
Jane Kilcher’s revelations shook many of her fans, and they were quite disappointed, given that her marriage to Lee seemed rock solid. For many years, they supported each other, living out in the wild and in tough conditions. Kilcher also helped to nurse Lee back to health after he suffered serious injuries in a fall in 2015.
What Happened to Jane Kilcher on Alaska: The Last Frontier?
Deciding to put one’s private life on television, even if for cash, comes with possible negative consequences, and Jane Kilcher wasn’t spared from this. Recall the divorce rumors that surrounded the couple at one time. Well, it was partially fuelled by what some viewers will call ‘Jane’s cold and whining attitude towards her husband’. This opinion is of course, subjective as we only get to see about 45 mins of edited footage per episode.
Jane has since addressed the issue, saying that she wasn’t big on PDA (Public Display of Affection) and that she loves her husband very much. Who are we to argue on what the signs of love are or aren’t. The fact that the couple has been together for more than a decade is proof enough that they are doing just fine.
Jane has also been a recipient of attacks from trolls; she has been fat-shamed and bullied for her physical looks and lifestyle. Bringing up these issues in a Facebook post in December 2018, Jane said, “People say horrible comments on my weight, my looks, my character, my marriage… all because we opened up our lives for television… showing you amazing things our family does…”
Jane even mentioned that she is a size 8 and yet is being called fat. It calls to tell you that you can’t meet everybody’s expectations. After all, the Kilchers are just like any other regular family living regular yet different lives. Jane isn’t scared of the haters, though, and doesn’t hesitate to call them out; “I am so proud to be a Kilcher..”, she said, ” if you see internet trollers, shut them down! It’s always untrue and just plain hurtful”
But it doesn’t end there. Jane Kilcher has also been put on blast for not allowing her two kids to appear on the show. Yes, the show is about the Kilchers, which the two kids are part of but given the negativity that follows the celebrity life, we are not surprised at Jane’s decision. Perhaps in the future, the kids might choose to be part of the show; who knows?
What is Jane Kilcher’s Net Worth?
Jane Kilcher’s net worth is $4 million as of 2024. This is not surprising given the popularity she has amassed via the Discovery TV show. Estimates abound as to how much Jane earns per episode. It is pegged between $7,000 – $10,000. Of course, her net worth isn’t just from the show, Jane’s millions also come from her assets, her career as a TV personality, and the income she must have earned as a professional fisherwoman.
Jane Kilcher and Atz Lee Have No Biological Children Between Them
Jane Kilcher doesn’t have any kids with Atz Lee. But the couple aren’t childless. Jane Kilcher is a mom and a stepmom. Her daughter, Piper Isolde Kassouni, was a product of her first marriage. Born on 4 June 2003, Piper, who is 20 years old, is practically a part of the Kilcher family. On the other hand, Jane’s stepson, Etienne Kilcher, is Atz Lee’s child from a previous relationship with Nantia Krisintu. Etienne Kilcher was born in 2001.
You can imagine that being a homemaker, Jane spends a lot of time with her kids, from embarking on projects together to being part of extended family gatherings. Jane has no doubt built a strong bond between her and her kids. She is ever the mama bear, protecting her young ones from the negative bile on the internet while still providing for their needs. Transitioning from a fisherwoman, who spends months out at sea, to a homemaker must have been one of her best decisions.
Where is Jane Kilcher Now?
Jane Kilcher is still living out her frontier life with her family and is still very much part of the reality TV show that brought her fame. The 11th season of the show premiered in October 2021, much to the excitement of waiting fans. And speaking of fans, Jane has a lot of them on social media whom she keeps abreast with what is happening in her life and the Kilcher’s family.
Is Jane Kilcher On ‘Bering Sea Gold’?
Jane Kilcher is on Season 16 of Bering Sea Gold. In fact, she also appeared in a couple of episodes back in season 15. Jane Kilcher’s appearance on Bering Sea Gold is because hat she is very good friends with a major cast member named Emily Riedel. She often visited Emily, and this led to the cross-over.
In Season 16 of Bering Sea Gold, Jane Kilcher can be seen getting down to the task of gold mining. She finds it difficult to deal with the cold. She also has to work hard to get along with other cast members. It remains to be seen if Jane Kilcher will become a regular cast member of Bering Sea Gelid, but it is a possibility, especially in light of her split from Atz Lee.
FAQs
Who is Jane Kilcher?
Jane Kilcher is Atz Lee’s wife and a cast member of Alaska: The Last Frontier, a TV show on Discovery Channel.
Who is Jane Kilcher’s Husband?
Jane Kilcher’s husband is Atz Lee. He is also one of the major stars of Alaska: The Last Frontier. The couple got married in 2006 and split in mid-2023.
Does Jane Kilcher and Atz Have Children?
Jane Kilcher and Atz Lee do not have children together but have kids from their past marriage. Jane Kilcher has a daughter named Piper Isolde Kassouni from her first marriage, while Lee has a son named Etienne Kilcher from a previous relationship with Nantia Krisintu.
What Does Jane Kilcher Do For a Living?
Jane Kilcher is a fisherwoman as well as a reality TV star who has appeared on shows such as Alaska: The Last Frontier and Bering Sea Gold.
What Did Jane Kilcher Say About Her Weight Loss Journey?
Jane Kilcher has revealed that her weight loss journey has been impacted by her divorce as well as nasty comments from trolls, which has made her drop about 25lbs. She has described her new body as some sort of revenge body.
Why Is Jane Kilcher on Bering Sea Gold?
Jane Kilcher is on Bering Sea Gold because she is very good friends with Emily Riedel, one of the major cast members of Bering Sea Gold. She often visits Emily, which led to her crossover to the show.