Alaskan Bush People star Bear Brown took his love for pranks to a whole new-and controversial-level this April Fools’ Day. The 37-year-old reality star shocked his fans when he claimed he had chopped off the tip of his finger in a wood-cutting accident. In a grimacing Instagram video posted April 1, Bear appeared distraught, telling followers, “I got some really bad news… I was chopping some wood… and I accidentally missed and I got my finger, I got the tip of it.”
He said he was heading to the hospital, bandaged finger in view, and even added, “I hear they can reattach them.”
But on April 2, Bear Brown posted another video-this time revealing it was all an April Fools’ prank. “I apologize, but when I cut my finger yesterday, it was actually an April Fools’ prank,” he admitted. “Some people don’t find it funny… it’s hard for me to resist April 1, guys.”
Alaskan Bush People: “That’s Not Something You Joke About!”
While some fans took the prank in stride, many others were furious. The backlash came quickly in the comments, with followers accusing Bear of crossing a line. “NEVER lie or joke about health, illness etc.!!!” one angry commenter wrote. Another added, “Love jokes but that was bad. Once you’re out of elementary school especially.”
Bear acknowledged the criticism, saying, “I know I’m going to get a little bit of hate for this and I apologize… But I also want to thank everyone for the well wishes and everything.”
Others were more forgiving, with one fan commenting, “I knew right away it was April Fools ,” while another joked, “No one would post if their fingers were cut off and not go straight to ER! ”
Still, the prank left many feeling uneasy, especially given the real-life medical emergency Bear’s mother, Ami Brown, recently endured.
Alaskan Bush People: Ami Brown’s Health Scare Was No Joke
Just weeks before the prank, Bear had updated fans on a serious health scare involving his mother, Ami Brown. The matriarch of Alaskan Bush People was airlifted because she had serious breathing problems. Doctors found she had pneumonia.
“She is doing a lot better and is basically completely healed,” Bear reassured fans in a TikTok video. The update came after weeks of concern from followers who remember Ami’s past cancer battle.
Given the family’s history of real medical struggles, many fans felt Bear’s prank was in poor taste. “You can’t play around with stuff like that when people genuinely care about your family,” one user noted.
Alaskan Bush People: Bear Brown Clears the Air on Family, Show, and Future Plans
Despite the prank backlash, Bear hasn’t shied away from updating fans on his personal life. He confirmed that Alaskan Bush People is not canceled-just on a filming hiatus. “We’re not filming right now,” he said in a March 26 video, blaming delays on Discovery’s major network merger.
Bear also opened up about his plans to eventually move back to Alaska and raise his three sons-River, 5, Cove, 2, and 7-month-old Everest-closer to nature. “Alaska is one thing that is always on my mind,” he shared.
As for his marriage? Things are looking strong between Bear and wife Raiven Brown, who currently live together in Washington. He confirmed that his siblings still stay in touch. This is despite rumors that the family has grown apart since their show ended.
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