Jan 01, 1970
0 years old
Is Sue Aikens married in 2025? No, the iconic Sue Aikens remains single following her second marriage‘s end, channeling her unyielding spirit into Kavik River Camp amid Alaska‘s remote wilderness.
Born Susan Aikens on July 1, 1963, in San Francisco, California, Sue has thrived as a survivalist since age 12, relocating to the harshest corners of Alaska. Star of National Geographic‘s Life Below Zero since 2013, she manages her seasonal outpost 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle, hosting hunters and researchers while battling -80°F temps.
Her net worth stands at approximately $500,000, bolstered by TV royalties and camp revenues exceeding $100,000 annually. In 2025, Sue expanded Kavik with solar upgrades for sustainability, featured in season 18’s premiere drawing 2.1 million viewers. Though her love life has weathered past marriages—including a tragic loss to a brain tumor—Sue’s independence shines, proving Alaskan life demands resilience over rings.
| Attribute | Details |
| Full Name | Susan Aikens (known professionally as Sue Aikens) |
| Date of Birth | July 1, 1963 (age 62 as of November 2025) |
| Birthplace | San Francisco, California, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Survivalist, Reality TV Star on Life Below Zero, Camp Operator at Kavik River Camp |
| Family | Two adult children (a boy and a girl) from first husband Eddie James; no current spouse, though part of Sue’s life includes close ties to extended family in Alaska |
| Career Highlights | Relocated to Alaska at 12; founded Kavik River Camp in 2008; Joined Life Below Zero in 2013, earning Emmy nods; Survived a near-fatal bear attack in 2017; 2025 solar initiative at Kavik promotes eco-Alaskan life |
Sue Aikens captivates as Alaska‘s lone ranger, her story a raw tapestry of grit and grace. Susan Aikens was born into urban comfort, but a restless youth propelled her northward at 12, seeking life in the wilderness. By 19, she’d mastered trapping and tracking, skills that sustain her today.
On Life Below Zero, Sue Aikens embodies solitude’s poetry—filming solo amid Alaska‘s remote wilderness, where blizzards erase trails overnight. Her survival skills? Legendary: skinning caribou in -50°F, navigating whiteouts without GPS.
In 2025, at 62, Sue mentors young explorers via camp workshops, sharing facts about Sue Aikens resilience. Is Sue Aikens married? Her focus on self-reliance answers that, turning isolation into empowerment.
Sue Aikens‘ journey began far from the freeze: Born on July 1 in California’s bustle, her parents’ divorce at 2 sparked wanderlust. At 12, she joined her mother in Fairbanks, Alaska, trading sidewalks for snowshoes.
Teens tested her: odd jobs as a waitress funded bush plane rides, where she learned to read Arctic winds. By 18, Sue found love in the wild, marrying young and birthing two children—a boy and a girl—while homesteading.
These formative freezes forged Sue’s core: independence amid challenges in Alaska. Though separated between the late 1960s and early 1970s from her roots, Alaska claimed her heart, setting stages for past marriages and profound losses.
Kavik River Camp in Alaska emerged from Sue Aikens‘ vision in 2008, a rustic retreat north of the Arctic Circle. Perched on permafrost miles north of the Arctic, it draws 50 summer guests annually—hunters, filmmakers—grossing $100,000+.
Construction? Sue would haul lumber via snowmachine, battling mudslides and moose. By 2013, Life Below Zero spotlighted Kavik, boosting bookings 300%.
In 2025, Sue’s upgrades—wind turbines slashing fuel costs by 40%—ensure longevity. Maintain Kavik River Camp? A daily dance with nature, where Sue Aikens‘ hands blister from repairs, yet her spirit soars.
Life Below Zero show immortalizes Sue Aikens as its wild heart, debuting in 2013 on National Geographic Channel. Episodes capture her hauling 500-pound moose quarters solo, voiceover quipping, “Pain is weakness leaving the body.”
Memorable? The 2017 bear attack that endangered her life: clawed 11 times, airlifted with 400 stitches. Sue faced recovery with humor, returning stronger.
2025’s season 18? Sue tackles drone mapping for wildlife, ratings up 15%. Show Life Below Zero isn’t scripted—it’s Sue Aikens from Life unfiltered, teaching viewers survival skills like cordwood stacking in gales.
Is Sue Aikens married as of 2025? No, following her 2014 divorce from second husband Michael Heinrich. Sue Aikens’ love life now prioritizes solitude, though she hints at casual connections via satellite phone.
Post-divorce, Sue embraced singlehood at Kavik, where long-distance suitors falter against her isolation. In a 2024 interview, she mused, “Men complicate the quiet I cherish.”
Yet, love life evolves: 2025 sightings with a bush pilot sparked whispers, but Sue shuts them down, valuing freedom over vows. Is Sue Aikens married? Her answer: happily unwed, wedded to the wild.
Sue Aikens husband quests trace three chapters of love and heartbreak. First husband Eddie James entered at 19, teaching survival skills like snare-setting during their Alaskan homestead years.
They shared two kids before tragedy: Eddie died due to a brain tumor in the 1990s, leaving Sue widowed young. Sue’s first loss hardened her, yet birthed fierce motherhood.
Second husband Michael G Heinrich, a journeyman electrician from Flushing, New York, followed in 2006. Their long-distance relationship bridged continents—him in urban sprawl, her in tundra—culminating in marriage. But by 2014, strains tore them asunder.
Married three times? Rumors swirl of a brief third, but Sue confirms only two. Past marriages? Lessons in letting go, fueling her live alone ethos.
Sue Aikens and Michael Heinrich met online in 2005, a digital spark amid Sue’s Kavik solitude. Michael Heinrich, then 40, charmed with tales of wiring Manhattan high-rises; Sue countered with caribou hunts.
Their relationship with Michael? A long-distance marvel: monthly flights, him enduring mosquito swarms for camp stays. Wed in 2006, Sue and Michael blended worlds—electrician skills powering Kavik‘s lights.
Divorce in 2014 stemmed from logistics: despite the physical distance, urban pulls clashed with Alaska‘s grip. Post-split, Michael supports Sue distantly, co-parenting via calls. Their chapter? A testament to trying, even in tempests.
Past marriages shaped Sue Aikens profoundly. Eddie James, her first husband, was a fellow adventurer who taught Sue bushcraft in their Fairbanks cabin. From 1980s to his 1990s passing, they forged family life—kids learning to fish at dawn.
Eddie’s brain tumor battle? Heart-wrenching; Sue nursed him through chemos, emerging scarred but sage. “He left me tools for life,” she reflects.
The void led to Michael G, but echoes of Eddie lingered. Although Sue sought stability, Alaska‘s demands tested ties. Sue Aikens’ past? A forge of fortitude, where loss lit her lone path.
Michael G Heinrich brought sparks—literal and figurative—to Sue Aikens‘ icy realm. A journeyman electrician versed in high-voltage grids, he traded skyscrapers for snowdrifts post-2006 nuptials.
At Kavik, Michael wired solar backups, easing Sue’s generator woes. Sue and Michael’s dynamic? Complementary: his precision to her intuition, sharing stews under northern lights.
Yet, long-distance eroded: his New York job demanded returns, fracturing routines. By 2014, amicable split. In 2025, Michael, now 60, wires green projects, occasionally emailing Sue camp tips. Their legacy? Illuminated memories in Alaska‘s dark.
Facts about Sue Aikens reveal a woman woven from wilderness threads. At 12, she piloted her first plane, soloing by 16—a feat few match.
Live alone at Kavik? By choice: no running water, outhouse treks in blizzards. Her diet? 70% wild game, sustaining 62 years of vigor.
Sue Aikens from Life Zero? She’s filmed 150+ episodes, earning $200,000 yearly. A bear attack in 2017 left scars, but she stitched herself, embodying harshest endurance.
These facts about Sue Aikens? Proof: Alaska doesn’t break her; it builds.
| Feature | Description |
| Height | 5 feet 4 inches (163 cm)—compact frame ideal for ducking into quonsets at Kavik |
| Weight | Approximately 165 lbs (75 kg)—muscular build from hauling logs and hunting, maintained through active Alaskan life |
| Eye Color | Blue—piercing gaze that scans horizons for wildlife or weather shifts |
| Hair Color | Graying blonde, often braided practically under wool caps |
| Body Measurements | 38-32-40 inches—reflects a sturdy, weather-hardened physique suited to remote wilderness demands |
Challenges in Alaska define Sue Aikens daily: -80°F snaps freeze pipes, demanding midnight thaws with propane torches. Wildlife? Grizzlies prowl Kavik, post-2017 attack heightening vigilance—pepper spray always holstered.
Isolation amplifies: satellite lags for medical consults, groceries a $500 plane haul. Yet, Sue innovates: 2025’s hydroponic greenhouse yields greens, slashing vitamin gaps.
Is Sue Aikens married to ease this? No—solitude sharpens senses, turning trials to triumphs. Her mantra: “The bush weeds out the weak.”
Net worth for Sue Aikens? Estimated at $500,000 in 2025, a modest fortune from reality TV and Kavik. Life Below Zero pays $200,000 annually, plus royalties from 2024’s spin-off specials.
Camp ops add $100,000 summers, offset by $50,000 winter preps. Investments? Sparse—mostly in gear like snowcats. Net worth is estimated low by choice; Sue banks on experiences over excess.
Philanthropy? Donates to Alaska wildlife funds, her wealth a tool for conservation.
Life at Kavik River Camp pulses with Sue Aikens‘ rhythm. Dawn: Coffee brewed on woodstove, scanning for wolves. Mornings? Guest guides on ptarmigan hunts, afternoons mending tents against permafrost heaves.
Evenings? Journaling by lantern, satellite calls to kids. Kavik River Camp sleeps 18, but Sue’s quarters? A 10×10 haven with dog Licka’s bed.
In 2025, eco-tours draw eco-tourists, blending profit with purpose. Part of Sue’s life? This outpost, where silence sings louder than cities.
Life Below Zero transformed Sue Aikens, airing since 2013 to 4 million fans. It funded Kavik‘s roof in 2015, but fame’s flip: tourists tripling, privacy pierced.
Sue navigates: selective filming, vetoing kid cameos. 2025 arcs? Climate change focus—thawing tundra flooding sites—aligning her advocacy.
Aikens from Life Below Zero? Elevated, yet grounded: TV amplifies her voice on land rights, without diluting her dirt.
Sue Aikens‘ boy and a girl anchor her from afar: son Thomas, 40, engineers in Anchorage; daughter Jennifer, 38, teaches in Fairbanks. Grandkids? Three, visiting summers for berry picks.
Past marriages‘ shadows linger—Eddie’s loss taught cherishing moments. Sue’s calls? Weekly lifelines, sharing survival skills via videos.
In 2025, family funded a Kavik playset for visits. Family life? Distant yet deep, mirroring her long-distance loves.
Sue Aikens’ love life post-past marriages? Selective, savoring connections without chains. “I’ve loved hard, lost harder,” she shares in 2024’s memoir excerpt.
Long-distance proved folly—Michael Heinrich‘s flights couldn’t conquer miles. Now, Sue courts via ham radio, prioritizing pals over partners.
Is Sue Aikens married to routine? Yes—to Alaska‘s pulse, where heartbreak heals in hikes.
| Platform | Username | Followers (as of Nov 2025) | Profile Focus |
| @sueaikens | 45,000 | Kavik snapshots, wilderness tips, Life Below Zero teases | |
| Sue Aikens Official | 120,000 | Fan Q&As, Alaska lore, camp booking updates | |
| X (Twitter) | @SueAikensLBZ | 25,000 | Quick survival hacks, bear attack reflections, show buzz |
| YouTube | Sue Aikens Channel | 80,000 | Extended Life Below Zero clips, Kavik River Camp tours |
Is Sue Aikens married in 2025?
No, single after divorcing Michael Heinrich in 2014; embraces solo Alaskan life at Kavik.
Who was Sue Aikens husband?
Second husband Michael G Heinrich, an electrician; first husband Eddie James died from a brain tumor.
What is Sue Aikens net worth?
Around $500,000, from Life Below Zero and Kavik River Camp operations.
Where does Sue Aikens live?
At Kavik River Camp, 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle in Alaska‘s remote wilderness.
How many times has Sue Aikens been married?
Married three times per some accounts, but confirmed two: Eddie and Michael.
What happened in Sue Aikens bear attack?
In 2017, mauled near Kavik; suffered 400 stitches but returned to camp within weeks.
Does Sue Aikens have children?
Yes, a boy and a girl from her first husband, now adults in Alaska.
Is Sue Aikens married? In the grand freeze of Alaska, no—yet her heart brims with the warmth of lived love and lessons. From past marriages‘ tempests to Kavik‘s calm, Sue Aikens weaves love life into legacy, her net worth measured in sunrises over permafrost.
Life Below Zero spotlights her, but true radiance? In solo strides through snow, mentoring kin, sustaining camp. At 62 in 2025, Sue stands sovereign: unwed, unbroken, unbound. Fans, heed her whisper from the wild—marriage to self outshines any aisle.
