Summary
Kate Rorke-Bassich was one of the original stars of National Geographic’sLife Below Zero, but then she suddenly disappeared from the series. While at this point, the spinoff seriesLife Below Zero: First Alaskansmay have overshadowedLife Below Zeroas the more popularreality show about people living off the grid,Life Below Zerois still the original series. The ongoing show premiered in 2013 and follows a cast of real people who live off the land in Alaska, focusing on the challenges that come with such an existence.
Each person in the series must find a way to make money one way or another and how they do so and operate outside the confines of society as much as possible is an interesting dance. Fan-favoriteKate Rorke-Bassich first appeared in the show’s pilot, making with her then-husband Andy Bassich, the two having met while Kate was a tourist in Alaska. They moved to a cabin near the Yukon River, and it’s there that viewers got to watch the two live their difficult but peaceful lives until Kate suddenly disappeared.
Why Miriam Amirault Left The Curse Of Oak Island (& Where The Fan Favorite Is Now)
Fans of The Curse of Oak Island were immediately drawn to the young archaeologist Miriam Amirault which made her departure all the more confusing.
Kate Rorke-Bassich Left Life Below Zero After She & Husband Andy Divorced
Kate and Andy were a couple who ran a survival school and owned a pack of sled dogs. In an interview withCoach.me, Kate described taking care of that many animals,
“Feeding our twenty sled dogs also gets me going first thing every morning—nice way to begin, with happy wagging tails.”
Kate was always popular for her resourcefulness, intelligence, and honesty. She never claimed her way of living was the only way to do it, or that she was anti-society.Kate just enjoyed what a life off the grid gave her: freedom, challenges, and excitement in her day-to-day life.
While it was not initially clear why Kate and Andy had divorced, Kate soon alleged that Andy had been physically and mentally abusive to her.
In 2015, Andy and Kate announced their separation and in 2016, their divorce was finalized. While Andy remained on the show, Kate’s final episode was in season 5, episode 6, “Darkness Falls”. While it was not initially clear why Kate and Andy had divorced, Kate soon alleged that Andy had been physically and mentally abusive to her. In an interview withDailyTwoCents, Kate discussed how she tried to love Andy but couldn’t,
“The hardest part is understanding why I stayed so long in an abusive relationship. I do know I love the land, I loved the lifestyle but I could not love the man he really is. I lived in a fairytale belief that someday he would become a kind, faithful, loving person. That fairytale was not to be mine.”
Kate also referenced her alleged abuse in a blog post shortly after the divorce was announced (viaAlaska Yukon Adventure). Withsurvival reality TV shows, generally, audiences watch to see how people deal with these extreme situations. The personalities can be secondary reasons for enjoying the shows. So, while it’s sad Kate’s no longer on the show,Life Below Zerostill provides everything fans would expectand has plenty of interesting characters to watch.
1
End of the Road
5
6
Darkness Falls
Kate Left Alaska And Now Lives In Newfoundland
Since leavingLife Below Zero,Kate has found a new life in Newfoundland, Canada, away from the cameras and hateful internet commentators who would even spam theLife Below ZeroFacebook page after Kate made her allegations.
Sadly, Kate still receives hate online, as per her own Facebook post on July 22, 2025, but she has a healthy outlook on it, and there are plenty of supporters in the comments as well.
Kate has had other challenges since leavingLife Below Zero, including a cancer scare in 2021, though she hasn’t posted any follow-ups, which hopefully means the results came back negative.
It’s not all doom and gloom, however, andKate has had plenty of positive posts as well. She’s continued her creative efforts, getting into homemade winemaking. Though she’s taken a break, Kate has consistently posted on Facebook, and her friends andLife Below Zerofans often comment, with Kate always happy to respond. She’s found a happy life in Newfoundland even among the problems that arise in life, taking them all on the chin. As she said in herCoach.Meinterview,
“I came out of the womb knowing my life was my own to do with what I wanted. Some decisions were good, some bad, but that is the road to life. I am still a diva at heart; I love makeup, clothes and shoes, but the ditch digger in my soul is not afraid to roll up her sleeves and get down and dirty.”
Life Below Zero
Cast
This documentary series immerses viewers in the harsh Alaskan wilderness, following six resilient residents as they navigate the challenges of isolation, extreme weather, and natural predators. Their survival is intertwined with nature, relying on hunting, foraging, and barter systems to endure the unforgiving landscape of the Arctic frontier.
