Sue Aikens is a highly skilled wilderness practitioner who is well known for her uniquely remote lifestyle showcased on the reality television show, “Life Below Zero.”
Interestingly, she is not only a participant in the show but is also one of the masterminds who serves as “Life Below Zero” producer. The National Geographic-based show awares the public about the everyday hardship of people living in the Alaskan region.
Now, beyond her adventurous lifestyle, many are curious about Sue Aikens’ net worth and the details surrounding her personal life, including her split from her husband, Michael Heinrich.
So, in this article, we will focus on Sue Aikens’ financial success, her income sources, as well as her love life, family, and children.
Read until the end for comprehensive information about the “Life Below Zero” star.
Sue Aikens Wikipedia:
Born on 1st July 1963, Sue Aikens is a 59 years old hunter who leads a unique lifestyle full of adventure in Alaska.
She was the only child in a typical American household in Illinois. However, as her parents separated when she was a little girl, she later moved to Alaska with her mother and spent most of her early life there.
Aikens, in one of the episodes of “The Ellen Show,” revealed that she first went to Akaska at 12 years old. And it was her mother who taught her basic survival skills like hunting and gathering food preservation in the frosty land of Alaska.
Growing up, she completed her schooling at Lowell Whiteman School. As Sue has an adventurous spirit, she enjoyed the remote lifestyle and embraced her life in the wilderness, leaving behind the city’s comfort and luxury.
Now, she owns Kavik River Camp in Alaska, which provides services like camping, hunting, fishing, and many more to the visitors and expeditors of the High Arctic.
At presnet, Aikens has captivated audiences worldwide with her hard work and positive attitude, as seen on the National Geographic channel’s reality show “Life Below Zero.”
Sue Aikens on Life Below Zero: Is She Still on the Show?
The owner of Kavik River Camp has been a prominent figure on the television series “Life Below Zero” for over a decade.
The show first aired in 2013 on the National Geographic channel and recently concluded its 20th season in February 2023.
As her courageous pursuits gained appreciation in wide areas of America, she utilized her interest and gave recognition to the Alaskan lifestyle by producing the TV show called “Life Below Zero.”
Sue Aikens is not only the producer of the show, but she also serves as one of its cast members, wholeheartedly dedicating herself to the National Geographic-based program.
In a recent Instagram post in May, she shared breathtaking pictures of Alaska, capturing the arrival of spring. A curious follower in the comments section inquired about her current whereabouts. To this, Sue Aikens replied that the new season of “Life Below Zero” is scheduled to start in mid-September.
From this, it becomes evident that Sue Aikens remains an integral part of the show, continuing to contribute her experiences and insight to “Life Below Zero.”
Sue Aikens Before Life Below Zero
- Sue Aikens with her colleagues on Kavik River Camp
Life Below Zero celebrity had numerous other professional endeavors before the show.
As mentioned above, she is the owner of Kavik River Camp, which provides logistical support to the people visiting the area. The camp is situated near the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. As per the camp’s website, Sue is most occupied in the camp from May to September as large groups of scientific researchers visit the area.
Apart from managing her camp, she has also produced and served on other reality shows like “Flying Wild Alaska,” “The Joe Rogan Experience,” and “Sarah Palin’s Alaska.”
Likewise, in 2022, she can also be seen in an action thriller film, “Panama.”
Sue Aiken’s Net Worth: Income Source
The “Life Below Zero,” cast has an estimated net worth of $500 thousand.
According to various sources, Sue Aikens is regarded as one of the wealthiest and highest-earning members of the show. It is speculated that Sue earns around $4,500 per episode of “Life Below Zero.”
In addition to her involvement in the show, Sue has made appearances in other television shows and a movie, which have contributed significantly to her revenue.
Furthermore, Sue Aikens has established herself as a successful entrepreneur, operating the Kavik River Camp for over two decades. In an interview with Radio Times, Sue revealed that she charges $350 per person per night for the camp’s services.
Additionally, Life Below Zero cast Sue Aikens generates reasonable income through merchandise sales, offering a range of products such as t-shirts, hoodies, caps, bags, coffee mugs, stickers, and compasses. This venture also contributes significantly to Sue Aikens’ substantial net worth.
Sue Aikens Ex-Fiance Michael G. Heinrich: Is She Single Now?
- Sue Aikens with her former partner, Michael Heinrich
Sue Aikens was engaged to Michael G. Heinrich.
While the exact date of their engagement is unknown, it is believed that Sue and Michael began dating around 2018. And their relationship was made public on Instagram in January 2019. From then on, they frequently showcased their love on social media with heartfelt captions.
Later, it became known through Sue’s Facebook that they had gotten engaged around 2020. Unfortunately, the post is no longer available. Similar to Sue, Michael also shares a love for adventure and hunting.
Throughout their relationship, the couple survived a long-distance arrangement as Aikens was based in Alaska while her fiancé lived in New York.
In 2020, the “Life Below Zero,” cast shared a series of adorable pictures on Instagram with her fiancé, accompanied by a sweet caption highlighting the importance of making time for each other in long-distance relationships.
She expressed her love, saying, “Long distances can be tough, but we both make it work. Love you, sweetie.”
Additionally, in a Facebook post from the same year, Sue praised Michael for earning a yellow belt in Haganah, showcasing her pride and support.
Their love life was evident from Aikens’ active presence on social media, and many of her followers even expressed their desire for Michael to appear on her show.
However, while the public eagerly awaited Sue’s union with Michael, she announced their split in early 2023. The reason behind their unfortunate breakup was found to be their differing priorities in life.
Despite the end of their relationship, the TV star has chosen to keep the memories alive and has preserved all her pictures and precious moments with her ex-fiancé on social media.
While fans were sorry for the news, the daring TV star said she has been dealing with the separation gracefully and noted that she is happy about Michael’s success.
Life Below Zero Star Sue Aikens Ex-Husbands
The famous star of “Life Below Zero” has had an unstable romantic journey with 3 unsuccessful marriages.
While her career has been a big hit, her romantic relationship was marked by unfortunate events and heartbreaks. Sue got married in her mid-20s to her young love. The couple remained happily wedded for some time until he died suddenly of a brain tumor.
After moving on from the tragedy of losing her first husband, the TV star walked down the aisle once again on 13th June 1987. Her second husband was named Eddie James, and he has a barber salon. The duo had a happily married life as they expanded their family and welcomed 3 adorable children, 2 daughters, and a son. The family resided in Oregon.
However, after 17 years of marriage, Eddie and Susan divorced due to personal differences. After the divorce, Susan went to Alaska to lead an adventurous life. But, as things were settling, she had to return to Oregan after Eddie died in 2004.
Finally, in another attempt at finding love and companionship, Sue entered into her third marriage. Unfortunately, this marriage was short-lived, as her spouse ultimately left her for another woman.
Family: Children and Grand Children
- Sue Aikens with her son, Jesse, and his family
The inspirational “Life Below Zero” producer has 2 children, a son and a daughter.
As mentioned earlier, Sue didn’t have any kids from her first or third marriage. So, after being with her second husband, Eddie James, for some time, the duo was blessed with a daughter, Jennifer James, now Jennifer Payne. As per the source, Jenni’s birth occurred on 11th November 1984, and she is 38 yeras old.
Daughter Jennifer Payne
Moreover, Aiken’s daughter, Jennifer, is now married and has a son named Nathan. So, it was her daughter who blessed Sue with her first grandchild. Likewise, Sue Aikens Daughter Jennifer is an avid animal lover, and with her passion, she works as a qualified and certified animal groomer and CPR expert.
Son Jesse James
Now, speaking of Ms. Aiken’s son, Jesse James was born on 16th December 1987 and is 35 years old. It is known that he graduated from Mt. Hood Community College.
Also, Sue Aikens’ son Jesse got married in 2016 to his girlfriend, Megan. They were blessed with a daughter, Amelia, in 2020, making Sue a grandmother once again.
While the family is usually busy with their respective lives, they all gather during the festivals, and Susan makes sure to capture and share those moments on her social media handles.
Sue Aikens Big Red Machine: What Is It?
Big Red Machine is Sue Aiken’s giant red vehicle of Nodwell company.
Although some viewers of “Life Below Zero” may have mistaken it for a tank, it is actually a versatile vehicle that can be utilized for various purposes, such as construction, transportation, and excavation. It appears that Sue acquired the Big Red Machine to aid her endeavours in the Alaskan wilderness.
In Season 4 of the show, viewers witnessed the Alaskan hunter using her Big Red vehicle to move heavy loads of supplies efficiently.
According to Distractify, the exact price of the Nodwell 320, the specific model of Sue’s vehicle, remains unknown.
However, based on the costs of other Nodwell models ranging from $21,000 to $26,000, it is estimated that Sue may have paid approximately $40,000 for her new Big Red Machine. But if Sue got the vehicle secondhand, it may have been purchased at a lower price.
Where is Sue Aikens Now in 2023?
- Sue Aikens with her friends at the Kavik Camp
The wilderness queen lives in Alaska near the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
There she has been running her camping business as an owner of Kavik River Camp for two decades. When she is not at Kavik Camp, she is busy filming for National Geographic’s “Life Below Zero.”
Some Facts on Life Below Zero Star Sue Aikens
Susan Aiken’s Age and Birthday
The reality star is 59 years old as she was born in the year 1963, and her birthday falls on 1st July.
A Bear Attacked Susan.
The “Life Below Zero’s” favorite cast, Susan Aikens, was once attacked by a bear in 2007 while she was pumping water from the river. And she had to face numerous significant injuries and muscle tears.
As per the source, it was revealed that Sue’s hips had been ripped out of their sockets, so she secured them together with her gun belt, patched up her head and arm, and went out to shoot the bear.
“On the way back to camp, my hips gave out, so I had to drag myself back. And then I laid there for 10 days until somebody found me,”
said the reality TV star.
Later she even had to undergo spinal surgery in 2020 to recover from that incident.
Did Susan Faced Lawsuit?
No, but in 2017, Aiken’s filed a lawsuit against the “Life Below Zero” makers claiming that her BBC contract caused a threat to her life as she was asked to film at dangerous locations, which further exhausted her emotionally.
How Much Weight Did Susan Lose?
- Sue Aikens before and after losing weight
According to a source, Miss Aiken is said to have lost a significant mass of 34 kg in 2020. The television star said the secret to her weight loss was her commitment to a healthier diet and workout.
| Name | Susan ‘Sue’ Aikens |
| Age | 59 years old |
| Date of Birth | 1st July 1963 |
| Education | Lowell Whiteman School |
| Profession | TV Star, Producer, Entrepreneur |
| Relationship Status | Single |
| Last Partner | Michael G. Heinrich |
| Children | 2 |
| Net Worth | $500,000 |