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What happened to Agnes Hailstone from “Life Below Zero”?

Published

14 seconds ago

April 18, 2024

Martha Clifford

Agnes Hailstone became famous all around the world in 2013, when she appeared in the highly acclaimed award-winning documentary TV series by BBC Studios that airs on National Geographic channel, entitled “Life Below Zero.” In 2022, this show is still a one-of-a-kind cinematographic achievement, staying miles ahead of the competition, if any even exists.

The series depicts the everyday and seasonal pursuits of subsistence hunters surviving off the land in what many would deem the most hostile Alaskan wilderness, far from civilization, electricity, plumbing, an internet connection, and all the luxuries of modern living. The idea for the show had been around for a long time, but it used to be logistically impossible to maintain a filming crew in abject isolation.

It follows seven different stories at once, showing how different hunters employ varying methods to stay afloat throughout the year’s harshest months. Sue Aikens is the show’s protagonist in a way – a lone woman living in the Kavik River camp, which has only one resident. There’s also the Hailstone power-couple, of whom Agnes is definitely more revered. Glenn Villeneuve, Jessie Holmes, Andy Bassich, Erick and Martha Mae Salitan, and Ricko DeWilde make up the remainder of the main cast.

“Life Below Zero” is by all means a fantastic visual experience, tailored carefully by a veteran crew in abysmal filming conditions. Of course, such efforts didn’t go unnoticed – the show has eight Primetime Emmy Awards and eight more nominations. It won its first in 2015, in the Outstanding Cinematography for a Reality Program category, and again every year from 2018 to 2022. In 2017 it also won the award in the Outstanding Picture Editing for an Unstructured Reality Program category.

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The northern brood

One very particular fact about Agnes Hailstone is that she has literally never crossed Alaska’s borders, as well as that she is the only cast member who belongs to the Iñupiat native population. Together with the Inuits and Yupiks, the Iñupiats represent the three subarctic ethnic groups. This is to say that Agnes’ ancestors have been living the same way for thousands of years, which makes her daily routine much more natural to follow compared to the other cast members.

Alongside her husband Chip Hailstone and their five children, Agnes lives within a family of seven. It’s a strange concept for the contemporary mind to grasp that children could be raised in such unforgiving conditions, but with a better look it becomes clear just how different the Hailstone youngsters are.

For example, all of their children receive some sort of a hunting aid on their birthdays, ranging from traps to actual firearms with live rounds. They are taught how to earn their livelihood very early on, and can often be seen helping their parents around the house, sometimes even during hunts. It’s particularly easy for Agnes to teach her daughters the wild path, as she has been raised the exact same way.

Iriqtaq, their oldest daughter, already has a child of her own – a son named Wade who was born in 2016. Quitan and Caroline are both now of adult age, while Mary is still in high school, and Tinmiaq is young as well. The married couple and almost all of their daughters live together, right on the bank of the Kobuk River, in Noorvik, which is where the two met in 1988.

It took them an entire 10 years and one failed marriage on Agnes’ side to finally tie the knot, and it’s due to this former romance that Hailstone has two grown-up sons – Douglas J Carter and Johnathon Carter, of whom the former moved out years ago to pursue his own career.

Agnes was born on 14 June 1972, and named after Hurricane Agnes, which terrorized the US at that time. She had her first child at the age of 19, with her husband, at the time most commonly referred to as Carter. Chip met her when attending a getaway near Noorvik. He was actually only visiting Alaska, but liked it so much that he decided to stay there and not return home – he is originally from Kalispell, Montana USA. Chip’s birthplace has approximately 25,000 inhabitants, while less than 700 ‘neighbours’ live anywhere near Agnes’ hometown.

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An uncontested survivalist

When it comes to knowing how to use weapons to ensure survival, Agnes outshines everyone else in the show, including her husband. She has been a skilled hunter since early childhood, which is evident to every viewer who has seen her on the prowl. She uses an antique Mosin Nagant 3-line rifle M1891, which is a Russian-made bolt-action rifle developed over a century ago. Although its uncontested reliability is attested by almost 40 million units having been produced, in 2022 there are way more efficient firearms for any scenario. Still, Agnes sticks to her old friend regardless. She also has an all-purpose knife that goes everywhere with her, and even has a name – Ulu.

Probably one of the most impressive things about Agnes is just how great of a marksman she is. Her ability to hit very distant targets without even using a scope is highly reminiscent of the deadliest sniper in history – Simo Häyhä – a man who achieved over 500 confirmed kills during WWII. Much like Simo, Agnes likes to dress in all white so as to distort her figure against the snowy background – she hunts alone, or with her husband, uses her old rifle, and yet there is no one better than her at what she does.

One instance where her skill shone brilliantly was when the couple were hunting a muskox. It was her first time going for this particular beast, so Chip was there to advise her. Still it was Agnes who took the shot, and even though she missed the first time, the second bullet struck with deadly accuracy, and quickly pacified the animal.

Interestingly, every new fan will notice the unconventional tattoo Agnes has on her chin, in the form of four vertical lines, the inner of which are thicker. In Iñupiat culture, this bodily marking means that she’s ready to face the wilderness and survive – she obtained hers as a mere teenager.

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The Hailstones’ harmonious coexistence with nature

When interviewed by the crew of National Geographic about their survival routines, Chip said ‘The way the folks have done things here for thousands of years works. The Iñupiat figured out 10,000 years ago just what materials are best for what particular use, at what particular time of the year, and we just follow that pattern.’ One of the things that this statement implies is that the family will go out of their way to find predators too, as their fur can be extremely beneficial.

Agnes is seen taking a single shot at a running wolf, after a lengthy chase with a snowmobile. The animal is so far away when she fires the Mosin-Nagant that the camera can’t even spot it. Nevertheless, it’s a bullseye. She takes out her trusty knife and begins to skin the carcass, primarily slitting the animal’s throat, explaining ‘My mom taught me how to free the souls of hunters – animals that hunt. You have to free their soul, and just pretty much cut their throat, so their spirit can be lifted and go try again. Pretty much respect for the animal.’

The couple explain what they will use the wolf’s body for, adding that the teeth make pretty-looking charms when lined on a string. Chip added ‘We thank the wolf for the kindness of taking his skin. I’m gonna make use of what this guy is. The fur is a necessary survival item, and that’s really important here, especially at 40-50 below.’

Most people see riverbanks in the spring and summer as just that – scenery. However, for the unstoppable Alaskan duo, this means a lot more. They explain that what they’re doing is called ‘mammoth tusk hunting.’ Agnes said ‘This is the time of the year when you can actually walk down the beach and find things like a $10,000 piece of tusk, or a really nice tooth.’ Chip further clarified ‘We call it scouting. We’re looking for nice chunks of wood, nice pieces of bone, anything we can make artwork out of.’

In the video, they were actually lucky enough to find a massive mammoth tusk, which Agnes explained could later sell for as much as a few thousand dollars, depending on the customer’s order, and what she makes out of the crude piece they unearthed.

Chip and Agnes Hailstone subsistence hunt for rabbits in the winter season. New episodes of #LifeBelowZero and Next Generation air Tuesday night starting at 8/7c on National Geographic. pic.twitter.com/OQx3y9Q9c7

— Life Below Zero (@LifeBelowZeroTV) October 21, 2021

The discipline known as ‘Ugruk hunting’ is restricted to Alaskan natives only – Agnes chose her son John and daughter Tinmiaq to perform the activity that particular time. Her son quickly spotted and shot the ugruk, which is a young bearded seal. Agnes explained how they immediately separate the blubber from the meat when opening the carcass, as they both serve important purposes.

She said ‘Now that we’re done cutting up all the blubber and making tightened strips like this, all we do is put this on the porch. By the next couple of days it should be from blubber to oil.’ While most survivalists use oil for cooking or greasing, the Hailstones actually preserve it to flavor their meals. According to Agnes, ‘When we render down the blubber, we use it as our oil when we dip our frozen or dried foods in, and that’s usually a real delicacy, and it gives us energy. So, pretty much anything goes with seal oil up here.’

Chip has had a tumultuous past

Edward V. ‘Chip’ Hailstone has been the subject of rumor and controversy among fans for a long time. Many have doubted the real reasons as to why he stayed in Alaska, though there’s nothing of substance to be considered in these suspicions.

There was, however, a significant incident, the impact of which also affected the TV series itself. Chip was suddenly gone from the show’s 10^th season, without the audience being notified as to why. That’s because the production team had every reason to stay hush-hush about it – Chip had a run-in with the law.

Chip was sentenced to 15 months of prison in July 2017. after being found guilty on two counts of perjury, as well as making false statements to the authorities. Four years prior, Chip accused an Alaskan police officer of physically assaulting Tinmiaq, the family’s eldest daughter. She was a minor at the time, which had serious implications for the officer.

The Hailstone patriarch once also claimed that a local from Noorvik threatened his daughter with a pointed rifle, following a disagreement with her stepbrother. While both of these situations sound alarming, Chip failed to produce evidence or witnesses for either claims and the only person who ended up in court was himself.

He lost the case and was initially sentenced to three years, but appealed and the sentence was halved. Chip has been optimistic since his release, showing appreciation for his family and great relief at finally returning to the real world. He said ‘I’ve got real rifles in my hand, I’m back to being my old self. I’m going to have a good time because I missed out on this last year.’

Agnes also gave her two cents on the matter, saying ‘The last 10 months have been pretty long and sad with Chip being gone. Food didn’t taste good, coffee didn’t taste good, but I got through it. I had my daughters with me and they’ve actually gone from walking behind me to walking by my side and hunting with me.’ She ended the comments with ‘We survived, we’ve improved, and now we’re just a lot stronger.’

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What this meant in the show is that Agnes had to take care of all the hunting while the rest of the family did the chores she usually does around the house. Though initially challenging, this new way of surviving built an immense respect for Agnes among the viewers, whose expectations she greatly surpassed with a display of iron will, resourcefulness and resilience.

Agnes is as busy today as she was in 2013

“Life Below Zero” is still going full steam in 2022, with the 20^th season expected to rear its head in the northern autumn of 2023, as per the customary release times of the show. Having been in almost every single episode of the series to date, only a few less than Sue herself, Agnes is bound to remain in the spotlight for as long as National Geographic continues its venture into the wild.

Martha Clifford

As an Author at Net Worth Post, I guide a dedicated team in the art of revealing the stories behind the world's most influential personalities. Fueled by a relentless curiosity and a knack for uncovering hidden stories, I immerse myself in the intricacies of our subjects' lives, weaving together accurate data and compelling narratives. My involvement spans the entire editorial process, from the seed of research to the final flourish of publication, ensuring that every article not only educates but also captivates and motivates our audience. At Net Worth Post, we are committed to providing thorough investigations into the net worth and life achievements of innovators across diverse sectors such as technology, culture, and social entrepreneurship. My method merges meticulous research with eloquent storytelling, designed to bridge the gap between our readers and the remarkable individuals who redefine our tomorrow. Through spotlighting their journeys to success, the hurdles they've surmounted, and their contributions to society, we aim to give our readers a deep and inspiring insight into the luminaries who are paving the way for progress and ingenuity in the modern era.

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What happened to Todd from “My Big Fat Fabulous Life”?

Published

1 second ago

April 18, 2024

Martha Clifford

Todd Beasley rose to prominence through his participation in TLC’s “My Big Fat Fabulous Life.” He was introduced into the series as the eternal dance partner and high school friend of the main star of the show, Whitney Way Thore. The dancer had been attracting more attention from the fans since the pandemic, especially since they all noticed and appreciated his new look. His friendship with Whitney survived their little fights through the years, as he would always have her back, but was never afraid to call her out if she did something unjust.

All about “My Big Fat Fabulous Life”

A viral video of a plus-sized woman dancing gracefully called “A Fat Girl Dancing: Talk Dirty to Me” was the reason why the TLC cable network created a reality television series for the star of the video.

The video that went viral

The video was uploaded on YouTube back on 29 January 2014 by the staff of the radio program, “Jared and Katie in the Morning,” aired at 107.5 KZL; at that time, Whitney Thore was an on-air producer for the radio station. She had been quite passionate about dancing since she was a young girl, and viewers found it fascinating to see someone of her size dance effortlessly to one of Jason Derulo’s songs, “Talk Dirty.” On the day the video was posted, it immediately went up the trending video list on YouTube, and collectively gained around eight million views,

The main star of the reality-TV series

Whitney Way Thore was a Greensboro, North Carolina native, who graduated from the Appalachian State University with a bachelor’s degree in Theatre. Her love for dancing made her join many school programs.

Her family had noticed her rapid weight gain when she was in her teens, and initially thought that it was normal. However, when she also lost clumps of hair and had an abnormal irregular menstruation cycle, they knew that something was wrong. She was already in college when she discovered the reasons behind her body issues, diagnosed with an hormonal disorder called polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS. Her reality-TV show gave her the platform to talk about it, and she was grateful that through her story, many women went to see their doctors to check if they also had the same disorder. Apparently, this type of woman’s health issue was rarely talked about, even if in reality one out of every 10 women suffered from it.

Other original cast members

The reality-TV series chronicled the life of Whitney, and most of the people featured in it were her family, close friends, business associates, and the men she dated. Her parents, Glenn and Barbara Thore were regulars, since they initially appeared during the show’s premiere while her brother, Hunter, was credited as a recurring guest. The other original members of the show were her friends Buddy Bell, Ashley Baynes, Tal Fish and Todd Beasley.

Get to know Todd Beasley

Todd was born and raised in Greensboro, North Carolina, and also grew up interested in singing and dancing. He was part of the local church choir, and would participate in local musical plays. He met Whitney during their teens as they attended the same high school, Southeast Guilford High School, in Greensboro; they became friends, as they found themselves as dance partners in several school programs.

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However, they were separated when they went to college, as Todd chose to study at Elon University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Musical Theater in 2007. He moved to New York to try his luck in theatre, but returned to his hometown in 2014 when Whitney asked for his help, which was documented in “My Big Fat Fabulous Life.” He was Whitney’s dancing partner in the “Fat Girl Dancing” video that went viral. In the reality-TV show, it was revealed that back in high school, Todd dated Heather Sykes, who was another cast member who started to appear during the second season.

He was later revealed to be the first cousin of Whitney’s other bestie, Ashley Baynes – she was the one who gave birth to a son named August Daniel after the ninth season. Fans speculated that she served as a surrogate for Whitney, because the father of the baby never made an appearance in the show, and Todd helped in keeping it a secret. The pregnancy coincided with the time when Ashley was helping with Whitney’s IVF treatment.

Todd Beasley’s highlights in “My Big Fat Fabulous Life”

Todd was included in the hit reality series because he was part of Whitney Thore’s amazing support system, and also instrumental in her becoming a YouTube sensation.

Eternal dance partner

Todd and Whitney had known each other since they were 17 years old, and he witnessed how she suffered from her body weight issues over the years. They both shared a love for dancing and theatre, with Whitney saying, ‘If anyone can understand my insane passion for dance, it’s Todd.’ He was introduced in the show as her perpetual dance partner, and she claimed that it was her who taught him to dance. They initially bonded during their participation in the musical “Grease”, both landing great roles as Todd played Kenickie while Whitney was one of the antagonists named ChaCha.

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Todd helped Whitney get back to her dancing form

After Whitney’s stint as an English teacher in South Korea, she returned home to Greensboro and reached out to Todd to help her get back to her dancing form. She was already overweight at that time, and felt that the only thing that could help her regain shape, but not necessarily become thinner was dancing. The last time she was a regular at the gym was in 2011, which resulted in an eating disorder, so didn’t want to go that route again. Todd said that he didn’t have any second thoughts about supporting Whitney in achieving her goals, because she was worth the time and effort.

Big Girl Dance Class

After Todd and Whitney’s dance videos became popular online, the two friends opened up “Big Girl Dance Class” in Greensboro, which featured dance workouts and tutorials. They welcomed anyone to the classes, but the dance routines were highly geared towards big girls. The dance class aimed to help big women feel good and comfortable in their own skin, and to empower women to fully embrace their body type instead of being ashamed of it.

The Big Girl Dance Class Tour was almost ruined

Whitney organized a “Big Girl Dance Class Tour”, and Todd went along with it. Instead of just staying in Greensboro, they announced that they would visit several places, including Chicago, Pittsburg and Columbus, and offer classes to those interested; they traveled by land using an RV. However, Whitney wasn’t a great planner, and most of the time, it left Todd frazzled and confused. When they were in Pittsburg, there were around 500 people who bought tickets to participate in the class, but the venue that Whitney rented couldn’t fit everyone. They only had two options at that time, which were to have back-to-back classes or send some people home. Todd said that he knew that it would turn out that way, because Whitney had no tour management experience. ‘We are dance teachers. Like, can we just go back to Greensboro and what we know where we know it?’ They were lucky that despite the obstacles they encountered, things worked out in the end, and the tour was a success.

Big Girl Dance Class hits the road! ? ? Whitney’s empowering women all over the country on the BGDC tour, Tuesday at 8/7c on #MyBigFatFabLife. pic.twitter.com/Mx2tjmtMKO

— TLC Network (@TLC) January 20, 2019

Todd smashed a cake on Whitney’s face

Todd and Whitney might have been close friends since high school, but they had their little disagreements every now and then. It escalated one time during Ashley’s kid’s birthday party, and even with children around them, they bickered back and forth. Apparently, Whitney told everyone including their families, friends, and even clients that Todd had quit on her. However, Todd called her out for spreading lies, and corrected her that what he’d said was that he would just take a break, telling her that she was putting words into his mouth. A mutual friend told them to stop, because apparently they had different perceptions about what really happened. Todd said, ‘Whitney has just latched onto this idea and run amok.’ He was quite frustrated, and told her to stop lying, so when she repeated her claim that Todd had quit on her, he pushed a piece of the cake onto her face, particularly her mouth, and then stood up to go to the bathroom.

Todd and Whitney attended the Fitness Marshall class

In one of the earlier seasons, Todd and Whitney went to New York City to attend the dance class of Fitness Marshall, also known as Caleb, a popular YouTube fitness star, hoping to get into one of his dance workout videos. However, for some reason, Todd, had to excuse himself a couple of times during the dance class as he puked. Meeting Caleb was Todd’s idea, but in the end, Caleb talked to Whitney and asked her to join him in a video. She asked him if she could bring Todd along, but Caleb rejected the idea. When Todd learned about it, he was bitter and frustrated. Whitney tried to make him feel good but he acted like a jerk. The fans had mixed reactions – some of them empathized with Todd and understood his frustration, others said that Whitney should have recognized that it was a glaring red flag, and she should pick better friends.

Todd brought Whitney to his favorite NY bar

During their trip to NY for the Fitness Marshall class, Todd took Whitney to his favorite bar, where he usually hung out with his friends. He invited his NY friends over to meet Whitney, hHowever, it seemed that she wasn’t really into the NY bar scene, claiming that she was way past the drinking part of her life, and didn’t feel comfortable being surrounded by drunken people anymore. So, after taking a few sips and having a few conversations with Todd’s friends, she said her goodbyes. Todd was disappointed as he wanted his friend to enjoy the sights and sounds of the NY nightlife with him. Some thought that Whitney was some sort of a party pooper, and should have indulged Todd more as he was trying his best to show her around.

Todd injured his leg during a dance class

Fans of “My Big Fat Fabulous Life” argued again online when Todd experienced shooting pain in his upper right thigh. At that time, it was Whitney who was teaching the class when Todd went down holding his thigh, and had to step away from the class to massage it. Whitney was perhaps too engrossed in what she was doing that she didn’t notice what was going on. Some found it incredulous that Whitney acted that way, considering that Todd was in her line of sight, and that it was quite impossible for her not to notice him. It took her a while before she went over to where Todd was – some believed that Whitney intentionally ignored him, while others said that she probably thought it wasn’t a big deal. Fans speculated that it wouldn’t be long before the two unfriended each other.

Real or Scripted Reality-TV Series

As with other popular reality-TV shows on the TLC network, many criticized the authenticity of “My Big Fat Fabulous Life.” Some viewers alleged that it was probably as real as it could be in the first couple of seasons, but as the show progressed, they thought that most of the narratives were forced and looked incredibly unnatural. Here are some of the controversial speculations about the show:

Big Girl Dance Class wasn’t real

There were allegations that the dance classes that Whitney and Todd offered to people were bogus, and it was part of the reason why they ceased to exist in the later seasons. Some fans refuted this theory, and believed that it was all real, because at the time that these classes were offered, there was still an official website. They even charged $5 per student, and all ages were welcome to attend. Reportedly, if the participants chose a day that coincided with the filming of “My Big Fat Fabulous Life,” attending the class was free of charge. However, they were confused because it instructed those who were interested to check the calendar for upcoming classes, but on the said calendar, there were no classes. In online forums, it was posted that some people allegedly called the Greensboro Dance Theater for details of the Big Girl Dance Class, had been told that it was just for the TV series. Whether the dance class was created for the show or was real but was no longer operational because Whitney became busy, no one knew for sure.

The reason why dancing wasn’t part of the show’s main plot

For a time, the “My Big Fat Fabulous Life” narrative centered on Whitney’s loved ones and her insane passion for dancing. However, viewers noticed that the narrative changed in recent seasons, and speculated about it. It seemed that since the third season, Whitney had trouble following some of the dance steps that were taught in her class by other instructors; when she couldn’t do it, she asked Todd to step in for her, and would be annoyed with the instructors for teaching those moves that she found difficult to do.

It was pretty noticeable in the fifth season when Todd had the students do their thing, and explore other dance styles which included barefoot dancing. This outraged her, later confessing that she couldn’t dance barefoot. There were concerned fans who said that Whitney needed to lose weight, so that she could keep up with other dance styles, instead of just staying in her comfort zone. Most of the fans believed that it was the main reason why they removed dancing from the main plot of the series; producers couldn’t create more dance scenarios in the narrative, due to Whitney’s limitations.

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Fake boyfriends and relationships

The main star of the show kept falling in love, and it was quite normal, however, viewers continuously questioned the authenticity of Whitney’s relationships. The timeline was confusing, and a clear example was her relationship with Chase Severino. Some fans thought that Chase was just an actor, who was hired to play the role of Whitney’s adorable boyfriend, but when his girlfriend in real life became pregnant, the producers didn’t have any choice but to change the narrative and make Chase a cheating boyfriend. Another suspected fake relationship that Whitney had was with the French guy who remained anonymous up to the 10^th season.

What happened to Todd that made fans appreciate him more?

When the 10^th season of “My Big Fat Fabulous Life” premiered on TLC in August 2022, viewers were ecstatic to see Todd looking great. Everyone appreciated his new look, as he sported a different haircut and color. Fans went on social media and posted that he had his ‘glow up,’ which was internet slang for a highly noticeable and impressive physical transformation, but it could also refer to self-confidence or success in life. He remained friends with Whitney, and fans thought that this was an indication that he was loyal and sincere to her.

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Why was Jenelle Evans fired from “Teen Mom 2”? What happened?

Published

2 seconds ago

April 18, 2024

Martha Clifford

Jenelle Evans gained notoriety for her multiple arrests, heroin addiction, custody battle with her mom, and tumultuous relationships. The public had been privy to her complicated life from her unplanned pregnancy up to the present, via the reality television shows she had been part of, her book entitled “Read Between the Lines: From the Diary of a Teenage Mom,” and her social media posts. Considering that every move she made drummed up interest in “Teen Mom 2,” her exit from the hit series had people speculating on the reasons why.

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Get to know Jenelle

Jenelle Evans was born on 19 December 1991, in Scranton, Pennsylvania. She was only three when her mom, Barbara, kicked her dad Robert out of their house. He was a musician, and his work at a recording studio wasn’t enough to pay their bills. His family, it seemed, was not his priority, and he would rather hang out with his friends than be with his wife and kids during his free time. They were married in 1984, and went their separate ways after a decade with the divorce finalized by October 1994; they shared custody of the kids. Her mom had to work twice as hard to earn more money to provide for the family.

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The last time Jenelle saw her father was when he was supposed to pick her and her siblings, Ashleigh and Colin, up one weekend, but he just drove away after seeing them waiting on the porch with her mom’s boyfriend; she was 11 at that time. She never knew why he stopped coming after that. Jenelle hated living in Scranton, not that it wasn’t a nice town, but she never really had any friends, and didn’t fit in at school. The family moved to North Carolina in 2004 for a fresh start.

Her relationship with her mother was volatile too, as they argued all the time. Jenelle claimed to love Barbara, but they didn’t have a close bond. She considered herself a daddy’s girl even if he had been part of her life for only a short time. Some said that she romanticized her memories with her dad, and only remembered him as a cool and fun-loving guy.

Broken relationship with siblings

Her family was dysfunctional – she opened up about how every gathering they had ended in a shouting match, and in the rare moments they tolerated each other, it didn’t last long and they would go back to feeling either hatred or indifference. With what most people knew about Jenelle now, nobody would have guessed that her mom once said that out of her three children, she was the normal kid, as she didn’t need medication or therapy. Her siblings had their own demons, and Jenelle described her relationship with them as broken.

Growing up, they only got along when they were doing something that would get them into trouble. Ashleigh, the eldest, was a brat who had no time for her; they would fight over every little thing, and it often turned physical. In 2006, her sister was arrested for assaulting her and their mom – Barbara said that Ashleigh at that time was off the medication she was taking for her mental health problems.

Jenelle gravitated toward her older brother, who didn’t mind her tagging along with him and his friends. However, Colin had what she called ‘outbursts of rage’, and would lash out at others and even at his family. Usually, she could calm him down, but there were times when he was too out of control that she became frightened of him. He accidentally set their house on fire, and so their mother sent him to a ‘special group home’ that was better equipped to handle him, as he was reportedly diagnosed with bipolar disorder. In 2007, Colin was charged with injury to personal and real property, as he kicked and punched the truck of his mom’s boyfriend, as well as the front door during an altercation.

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“16 and Pregnant”

As it appeared that unplanned pregnancies among teens were prevalent in the US, MTV launched the reality TV show, “16 and Pregnant” on 11 June 2009, to feature their stories. Jenelle was introduced in its second season aired in February 2010. At 17, she had given birth to her son, Jace, with her boyfriend Andrew Lewis the father.

Andrew, her first baby daddy

They met online and went on their first date when she was 16. Andrew was several years older than her and had the propensity to drink, which she found really cool. Her fascination with him had got to a point in which she let him dictate what they would do, and basically became a doormat for him. She said, ‘He came and got what he wanted from me, when he wanted it…We had to talk when he wanted to talk, no matter the odd hours.’

In December 2007, her mom called the cops when she ran away after they had a confrontation, only to find her at Andrew’s house. Months later, Jenelle was arrested after Andrew’s mom reported her to the police, saying that she’d broken into their home and refused to leave. She wasn’t charged on condition that she wouldn’t come uninvited or stay past a reasonable hour.

Andrew wasn’t interested in becoming a dad, and he was gone soon after Jace was born in 2009. It seemed that over the years, there had been attempts to reconnect with his son, but he never really followed through.

“Teen Mom 2”

Since “16 and Pregnant” only covered stories of pregnant teens until their babies were a few months old, fans wanted to know how life had changed for these girls, as they became young mothers and struggled with the responsibilities that came with it. There was a time when people were ashamed to talk about such things in public for fear of being judged and ostracized. However, it seemed that many no longer shied away from delving into a highly sensitive topic, and had come to accept this as and often sad reality of life. The spin-off series attracted millions of viewers – some found it horrible, and criticized the show for turning these teens into celebrities and glamorizing their situation. Others said that it was a docuseries that served as a cautionary tale for young people.

Teen Mom 2 New Season SEE WHO MADE THE CUT! https://t.co/7UuiMZirMF pic.twitter.com/s371jLSeEp

— Jenelle Evans (@PBandJenelley_1) July 23, 2022

“Teen Mom” premiered in December 2009, and featured four girls from the first season of the original show. Jenelle and three others from the second season were the focus of “Teen Mom 2,” which started airing in January 2011. People had been witness to how Jenelle had evolved as a person and as a mother. Her life wasn’t easy, as she continued making bad choices. Being a mom didn’t stop her from doing whatever she wanted, and fans couldn’t decide whether trouble always followed her, or she was the one looking for trouble, as she ended up with bad guys, a substance abuse problem, and numerous arrests.

Almost overdosed on heroin

Much of her trouble began when she took heroin – it was Kieffer Delp who introduced her to this highly addictive drug. At that time, Jenelle was reportedly assaulted by her boyfriend Gary Head, and sought comfort and support from Kieffer. It turned out that his way of doing it was by having her take drugs. She said, ‘Before I knew it, I was shooting up four or five times a day. I was hooked.’ Within one month, she was hospitalized thrice, and came close to dying, as she once blacked out and woke up on the bathroom floor without remembering what happened. She called her mom to ask for help, then quit cold turkey, and struggled through withdrawal symptoms.

Nude photos of Janelle leaked online

Tired of having small breasts, Jenelle had her breast augmented to a full “C” cup in 2012. She was quite happy with her enhanced curves, as she said that it was a big boost to her confidence. When she was devastated when she learned that her topless photos, before and after the surgery, circulated online for the entire world to see, and couldn’t stop crying about it. She accused Kieffer as the one responsible for the leak, saying that he took those photos while she was still under the effects of anesthesia. Kieffer admitted on Twitter that he never would have done it if she didn’t break his heart, and then ‘talk shit’ about him. The two had a huge fight after her ex-boyfriend Gary sent her flowers while she was recovering from her surgery – after kicking Kieffer out of the house, Gary kept her company and they talked about getting back together. Of note, Jenelle had an on-off relationship with the two guys.

Jenelle had an abortion

It was not surprising that her relationship with her first husband, Courtland Rogers, ended considering that she married him on a whim in December 2012, after her split from Kieffer. She moved back to her mother’s house in an attempt to wean herself off heroin addiction, and get her life back on track. When she learned that she was pregnant with Courtland’s baby, she thought it best to have an abortion. Having another baby was unfair to her son, Jace, when she didn’t have custody of him. Her mother was supportive of her decision, accompanied her to the clinic, and even paid for the procedure.

Over a dozen arrests

Jenelle was often in the news for being on the wrong side of the law. Her history of arrests dated back to October 2010 when she was dating Kieffer Delp; the two were arrested for breaking and entering the home of a friend’s mother in Oak Island. She was also charged with drug possession and was sentenced to one-year probation, but violated its terms by testing positive for THC. Over the years, she was arrested for several reasons, which included cyberstalking her former boss, beating up a girl in a fit of jealousy, violating a domestic violence protective order, and possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia.

Custody battle over her son, Jace

Barbara Evans had been granted full custody of her grandson, Jace, since 2010, but Jenelle had visitation rights. At that time, it was quite evident that Jenelle was not ready to become a mother, as she lived without a care in the world. However, it didn’t stop her from trying to get her son back, and she and her mom often ended up in court. Her relationship with Barbara was never good, but there were times when it was her mother whom she turned to when she needed help. When Jace seemed to be acting up and Barbara couldn’t handle him anymore, she and Janelle agreed to co-parenting.

Fired from the TV show

Jenelle’s wild and crazy antics made her one of the most controversial stars in “Teen Mom 2.” The production didn’t need to create drama or intrigue, as the story of her life was perhaps better than anything that a writer could have come up with.

In May 2019, it was reported that Jenelle was fired from the show because her husband, David Eason, whom she married in September 2017, killed their French bulldog named Nugget. David admitted to shooting Nugget after it bit their two-year-old daughter, Ensley, on the face. ‘You can hate me all you want, but this isn’t the first time the dog bit Ensley aggressively,’ he said as he defended his action. ‘The only person that can judge whether or not an animal is a danger to MY CHILD is ME.’ He uploaded a video of his daughter moving her face closer to Nugget and the dog snapped at her; a close-up photo of Ensley revealed a red mark on her cheek, but there was no clear indication that the skin was broken. Meanwhile, a heartbroken Jenelle shared a photo of her with Nugget on social media, and wrote about how much she loved her dog.

As a result of this scandal, the couple temporarily lost custody of four-year-old Kaiser, and Ensley. Several people testified against David and Jenelle about issues at home that put their kids at risk, and the Child Protective Services ordered that Ensley and nine-year-old Jace were to stay with their grandmother, Barbara, while Kaiser would stay with her father, Nathan Griffith. The parents could only visit the kids for an hour once a week, with supervision. The couple parted ways for a while, but reconciled and regained custody of Ensley and Kaiser after five weeks.

David has no longer been part of the show since February 2018, due to his homophobic statements on social media, while Jenelle continued to film for MTV. In April 2019, the network finally cut ties with Jenelle after a decade of working with her, and although she was shocked, she respected their decision. In a statement issued by her management team, Jenelle was said to be moving forward, and would focus on her family and business endeavors.

Later on, she said in interviews that she believed that the reason she was no longer part of the show was not entirely because their family dog was killed. It was hard for her to comprehend why she was let go over something that happened off-camera, but not when she was doing illegal things, buying and taking drugs that were even caught on film. Also, she claimed that she was told over the phone that she was ‘let go for this season’, but not ‘fired’, although MTV didn’t clarify matters regarding this issue.

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One theory she had about parting ways with the network was that she was butting heads with the production over how she was portrayed on the TV series. At times, she felt like a puppet that did whatever they wanted her to do; she wanted to have a say in what was being aired about her. She also had something to say about the money she earned from filming. Admittedly, she said that they were paid well to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars each season, but felt that she should have been given more. When negotiating for renewal of contracts, she was given a five percent increase whenever she asked for a raise. With each new season, the rate was supposed to go higher, so to avoid that, new episodes were added to the previous season, instead of making them part of a new one.

Despite her discontent, she was grateful for the opportunities that came her way because of the reality series. She hoped to be back on TV even if it was just one season, for a chance to show that her life was not as horrible as the production made it to be. Jenelle wanted a redemption story, one that would show her in a positive light.

There were rumors going around that she would be part of the spin-off series, “Teen Mom: The Next Chapter,” but she was quick to deny it in a video she posted in September 2022 on her YouTube channel. She was invited to a reunion special, but declined for reasons that she didn’t want to share. Jenelle said that she would rather create her own show and do her own thing, rather than go back to “Teen Mom 2” and be part of a clique. For fans who wanted to know about what her life was like after the reality show, she said that they just had to watch her vlogs online, at least for now, as she hinted that she was filming something.