Aside from an insider’s look into the mining business, Discovery’s Gold Rush provides viewers with an insight into the personal lives of cast members. The love life of Rick Ness, a long-running star on the show, is sometimes featured in the series. This is why fans are curious about his relationship with Leese Arie.
Background
Leese Arie was born on October 25, 1977, and is originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin – just like Rick. While not much is known about her early life, it’s possible the two crossed paths before reconnecting years later. Leese studied nursing and worked in the field before stepping briefly into the spotlight through Gold Rush.
Joining Gold Rush
Rick Ness first joined Gold Rush in 2012 during season three after getting recruited by mining prodigy, Parker Schnabel. After six years in Parker’s crew, Rick left to form his own group.
As a rookie mining boss, Rick unexpectedly did very well. One of his most trusted crew members is Karla Ann Charlton, a survival expert and gold room operator. In season 11, viewers speculated that he and Karla were dating. Karla has since stated that she sees him as more of a brother.
It became a popular topic among Gold Rush fans and to stop the rumors, Rick made his relationship with Leese Arie public on Facebook in 2020 and announced she would appear in season 12.
Despite her appearance, Leese Arie isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty. She stepped up to the plate when Rick was struggling when a new hire didn’t show. Despite having limited mining experience, she helped out until a replacement was found.
Relationship with Rick
Rick proposed to Leese on her 45th birthday in 2022, sharing a heartfelt Facebook post about how she supported him through personal struggles. But their relationship was far from smooth. It was marred by repeated breakups, cheating allegations, and public disputes, many of which played out on social media.
Leese accused Rick of cheating on her shortly after the engagement – claiming he was unfaithful within 48 hours of proposing. She later alleged over 200 incidents of infidelity and cited issues with drug use and involvement with prostitutes. Rick publicly admitted to cheating and expressed regret, but the damage was done.
The couple briefly reconciled in early 2023 and again in late 2023, but their final split happened in February 2024. Leese declared on Facebook that she was done for good and moved on with her life. Since then, there has been no sign of another reconciliation.
Life After the Breakup
Following the split, Leese relocated to Havasu, Arizona, where she began focusing on her own healing. She has a child from a previous relationship and continues to share updates with fans on TikTok under the username @lil_hurricane_, where she has over 7,200 followers.
In a 2025 TikTok post, Leese shared:
“Yes, I’ve changed because my old version was too weak.”
Final Thoughts
Rick Ness is now single and appears focused on his work and well-being. His relationship with Leese Arie is officially over, and both seem to be moving forward on separate paths.
