Glenn Villeneuve left civilisation behind to live alone in Alaska and never regretted it
Glenn Villeneuve, a resilient hunter and survivalist, has captivated audiences with his unique lifestyle showcased in the long-running series Life Below Zero. Living deep in Alaska’s wilderness since 1999, Glenn's journey from a secluded childhood in Burlington, Vermont, to the challenges of subsistence living offers a fascinating perspective on survival, nature, and family.
Source: UGC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Key takeaways
- Glenn Villeneuve profile summary
- Glenn Villeneuve's biography
- Where is Glenn Villeneuve from Life Below Zero now?
- What does Glenn Villeneuve do for a living?
Key takeaways
- Glenn Villeneuve grew up in Burlington, Vermont, but later moved to Fairbanks, Alaska, to fulfil his lifelong dream of living off-grid.
- He joined the cast of Life Below Zero during its premiere year in 2013 on the National Geographic Channel.
- In the show, he spoke about all the aspects of subsistence living and showed his everyday struggles.
Glenn Villeneuve profile summary
Full name | Glenn Villeneuve |
Gender | Male |
Date of birth | August 18, 1969 |
Age | 56 years old |
Zodiac sign | Leo |
Birthplace | Burlington, Vermont, United States |
Current residence | Alaska, United States |
Nationality | American |
Sexuality | Straight |
Height in feet | 6'5" |
Height in centimetres | 198 |
Hair colour | Black |
Eye colour | Brown |
Marital status | Married |
Wife | Trisha Kazan |
Children | Willow Leaves, Wolf Song (from a previous marriage), Amelia (Trisha's daughter from her previous relationship), Agatha (with Trisha) |
Occupation | Hunter, nomad, survivalist, TV personality |
X (Twitter) | |
YouTube |
Glenn Villeneuve's biography
Glenn grew up in Burlington, Vermont, United States, before moving to Alaska around 2000 to pursue a primitive hunter-gatherer lifestyle in the Brooks Range. After several years, he transitioned back to society to raise his family and compete in winter ultra-endurance racing.
The TV personality showcased his solo wilderness survival skills on National Geographic's Life Below Zero. Glenn has since kept the names of his parents and siblings private throughout his career.
In July 2023, he revealed on Facebook that his mother died in May of the same year, just three weeks after his wife Trisha Kazan left him in Alaska. Part of his statement read.
Three weeks to the day after Trisha left, my mother, who was suffering from severe dementia, passed away. So this spring was a time of loss, change, and adjustment.
How old is Glenn Villeneuve?
Glenn from Life Below Zero was born on August 18, 1969. As of 2026, Glenn Villeneuve's age is 57 years.
Glenn Villeneuve's education
The TV personality went to school for one year and then left, but he was self-taught. At home, he learned how to read, talk, and communicate with other people. He was very curious and loved to read. He spent a lot of time reading books in the library, hiking and talking to interesting people.
Source: Original
Career highlights
At one point in 1999, the brave man moved to Alaska, where he settled down in the small town of Chandalar, which is located 200 miles north of Fairbanks, and decided to live in the wilderness. He defined himself as a nomad, which means a person without fixed habitation who frequently moves within the same area.
Glenn has an eponymous YouTube channel where he used to upload videos in the wild. He has 17.5k subscribers. Although his last upload was in April, 2021.
Glenn Villeneuve on Life Below Zero
This resilient and determined hunter was noticed by the production team of Life Below Zero. Season 1 of Life Below Zero aired in May 2013 on the National Geographic, and the show has been on for 23 seasons, as of this writing. It portrayed the daily lives of a few subsistence hunters who lived far away from civilisation and chose Alaska as their place of residence. Other main characters in the show were:
- Sue Aikens - Sue Aikens is the only resident of Kavir River Camp in Northern Alaska.
- Jessie Holmes - the fisherman and hunter who lives with 40 sledge dogs and races with them.
- Chip and Agnes Hailstone - the couple with seven children who live on the Kobuk River, close to the Arctic Circle.
- Andy Bassich - the man who lives on the Yukon River with 25 sledge dogs.
- Ricko DeWilde - Ricko DeWilde is an Alaskan Native resident who lives in an abandoned cabin close to Huslia.
- Erik Salitan - the young man who lives in Wiseman and is devoted to the wilderness.
Today, Glen Life Below Zero is well-accustomed to the subsistence lifestyle. For years, he has been educating people about all the perks of his way of living. Despite everything, it could be really dangerous sometimes. For instance, Glenn Villeneuve was once attacked by wolves.
One harsh winter, he almost went hungry with his former wife and their infant child. They luckily encountered a wolf that had partly devoured a Caribou.
What happened to Glenn Villeneuve from Life Below Zero?
In 2019, he finally departed from the show after being there for 11 seasons.
Why was Glenn taken off Life Below Zero?
He had a difference of opinion with the producers on the creative direction of the show. When he explained what transpired on the Joe Rogan Experience, Glenn was very understanding about it.
But, I think I went about as far as I could go on the show. Cause I was always pushing to tell stories or to share things that didn't fit into the concept that they had. When you make a TV show, you got a concept before you find people to put in it, right? And, I mean, Life Below Zero is a show about... supposedly people living a subsistence lifestyle in the bush, and that's part of my life, but there's a lot more to it.
And I am always... I am a person who's always trying to learn, and grow, and do new things, and expand so... ehm... when they met me, I fit into their show like a hand in a glove. But I wanted to do more. I wanted to share more. So I get bored.
Glenn Villeneuve TV shows and podcasts
- 2013-2019 - Life Below Zero as himself
- 2019 - The Joe Rogan Experience as himself
- 2021 - Fadam and Friends (The Unbeaten Path W/Glenn Villeneuve) as himself
Did Glenn Villeneuve die?
No, he is alive and well, even though he stopped being a part of Life Below Zero.
Glenn Villeneuve's net worth
While his current net worth remains unknown, estimates by The Things valued him at around $200,000 in 2022.
Is Glenn from Life Below Zero married in real life?
Glenn is currently unmarried, but he was previously married to German opera singer Silvia Daeumichen. The couple got married in 2001 and moved to Alaska. Silvia is the mother of his oldest children - daughter Willow Leaves, who was born in 2006, and son Wolf Song, born in 2009.
The two reportedly started having differences, which led to their eventual divorce. Glenn Villeneuve's ex-wife presumably left Alaska and went back to the usual urban way of life.
Glenn later met Trisha Kazan, who already had a daughter, Amelia, from her previous relationship. She ended up moving to Alaska together with Amelia in 2014. Trisha was featured in many of the show's episodes together with her husband.
Trisha and Glenn welcomed their daughter, Agatha, in 2017. However, in a Facebook post in July 2023, the TV personality revealed that Trish left him and moved to Pennsylvania.
She (Trisha) took her daughter Amelia with her and left our then 5-year-old daughter Agatha with me. I’m now raising Agatha on my own. Being a single father was not something I had planned for, but when the wind changes, it’s time to adjust the sails.
Glenn later dated a lady named Shalane who lived in one of the coldest places in Fairbanks. He is currently with Melissa, whom she posted while having a family meal in November 2025.
Where is Glenn Villeneuve from Life Below Zero now?
Glenn continues to live as a hunter in Fairbanks and the Brooks Range in Alaska. The TV star enjoys hiking and going on walks with his children, and shares his love for the outdoors with them.
What does Glenn Villeneuve do for a living?
Glen often appears on podcasts and keeps himself busy by modernising his home in Fairbanks. He posts some updates on his social media accounts.
Glenn Villeneuve leads an unconventional way of life, which many people may not understand. However, it is always exciting to see different people's points of view and observe what makes them happy. Currently, he is incredibly satisfied with his life, and so is his family.
Legit.ng posted an article about Andy Bassich, a prominent American television personality who got recognition for his appearance in the series Life Below Zero. So, what happened to him that caused him to disappear from the public eye? Read more in the article.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
Regina Stets (Lifestyle writer) Regina has been working as a reporter since 2017. She has written numerous publications on various topics, including celebrities, lifestyle, news, and many more. In addition to writing, she is also an English teacher, translator and a volunteer. Her interests are art, psychology and travelling, and she believes in equal rights for everyone. reginastets@gmail.com
Glenn Omondi (Lifestyle writer) Glenn Omondi is a writer with more than 5 years of experience. He has a Bachelor's degree in Actuarial Science from Kenyatta University, having graduated in 2025. He specialises in celebrity biographies, educational content, guides and listicles. Glenn finished the Google Digital Skills for Africa certification in 2020. You can reach him via glennomondi@gmail.com.
