Throughout the years, Discovery’s Gold Rush has seen some beloved cast members come and go. This includes the notable miner and foreman Gene Cheeseman who worked for Tony Beets and Parker Schnabel. Since leaving the show fans are curious to find out what Gene is doing now. There’s even been false rumors that he passed!
Early Life
Cheeseman was born on October 23, 1968. He grew up in a family of gold miners in Juneau, Alaska. In the late 1800s, his great-great-grandfather was one of Alaska’s earliest gold miners.
His grandfather and uncle were heavy machinery workers, and he followed in their footsteps at an early age. He got his first taste of running heavy machinery at age six, removing snow with a D6 bulldozer.
The Alaska native started working as a contractor after finishing his education, focusing on both road maintenance and construction projects. Later on, he found his way into mining.
Joining Gold Rush
Gene quickly became a skilled foreman because of his family background and personal experience. This led him to work with the reality television star Parker Schnabel. Consequently, he became a cast member of Gold Rush on the Discovery Channel.
He started appearing on the show in its fourth season as the foreman of Parker’s Crew at Scribner Creek Claim. However, in season six, Gene got frustrated with Parker and left his team.
He agreed to operate the Viking Dredge with co-star Tony Beets. During his time in the series, Cheeseman became known for his work ethic and bush mechanics, which made him a fan favorite.
Current Status
Cheeseman left Gold Rush in 2017. No announcements or reasons were given for his departure, but sources say that he took off on his own terms. Not long after, he also disappeared from social media, leaving his fans curious.
Thankfully, he made a cameo appearance in 2020. In season ten of the reality series, returned briefly to help Rick Ness. After that, he vanished from reality television once more, but this still gave viewers a bit of clarity.
His short return hinted that it’s likely that he’s still working in the mining industry, albeit in a less public role. Also, it cleared up that Gene Cheeseman is still alive, as some people speculated he passed away.
Net Worth and Earnings
As a former key member of Parker Schnabel’s crew, Cheeseman was making around $28 an hour. Considering that most of Parker’s men labored for an average of 75 hours per week, he was earning approximately $2,590 gross pay.
It can be assumed that he made a similar amount working as a foreman for Tony Beets. Plus, he gets extra for being a reality television star. Now, it’s likely that he is still working as a miner and earning a decent amount. His net worth is estimated to be $500,000.
Personal Life
Gene Cheeseman wedded Jennifer George in the late 1980s, according to reports. The pair had two children, but they eventually decided to get a divorce. It is rumored that Gene stayed single since then.
