Gabe Rygaard was an American reality star and former Clallam County commissioner candidate. He rose to stardom after appearing in the History Channel reality series Ax Men.
Gabe appeared in the reality series Ax Men for eight consecutive seasons. He was one of the most desired loggers, and his tragic death accident shocked the whole world. He died in a road accident on 16 September 2016 in Port Angeles. Furthermore, read the whole article to learn more interesting facts about Gabe Rygaard’s parents, age, wife, children, death, and net worth.
Gabe Rygaard Age, Bio, Wiki
The son of Kathy and Craig Rygaard, Gabe Rygaard was born on 3 August 1971 in Port Angeles, Washington. His parents named him Gabriel Martin Rygaard, and he grew up alongside Jason and Burt Rygaard in a logging business. Gabe knew what he wanted to be in the future from a young age, but his father encouraged him to seek a different career from the family logging business.
Gabe graduated from Port Angeles High School and attended Peninsula College. Later, he joined his family business and worked alongside his father instead of pursuing a further degree. Gabe started his firm in 1994 and merged with his dad’s Logging Inc. Sadly, he met a tragic death accident on 16 September 2016.
How Did Gabe Rygaard Died?
Gabe Rygaard was only 45 years old when he died in a traffic collision. He was driving a white 1995 Ford Bronco when his tragic death accident occurred at 9:22 am on 101 Highway in the west of Port Angeles, Washington. He died on his youngest son’s 11th birthday. His memorial was conducted in King’s Way Foursquare Church on 23 September 2016, and more than 300 people attended to give condolences.
According to the report, Gabe wasn’t wearing a seat belt and suffered major injuries. His Ford Bronco hit the Chevrolet Tahoe in front of him, forcing his car to rotate. Afterward, his rotating car only stopped striking a Dodge Ram Van. Seven people were injured in this accident, but only Gabe suffered serious injuries. Other victims’ minor injuries were treated at the scene and released to go back home. Only Gabe was sent to Olympic Medical Center, where doctors pronounced him dead.
Relationship Status and Children
Reflecting on the personal life of Gabe Rygaard, he was a married man. He married Katy Sotebeer-Rygaard and had three children. His daughter’s name is Trilby Bowe, and his son’s names are Tucker Rygaard and Aiden Rygaard. Gabe and Katy were inseparable and worked as partners in his timber brokerage company, Ryfield Properties Inc. They started dating in 2013. Unfortunately, his tragic death separated the inseparable couple.
Moreover, Gabe’s first son, Aiden Rygaard, served as his right-hand man and was featured on Ax Men. Except for his Katy, he doesn’t seem to have other extramarital affairs that we know of. Katy moved past the grief of losing her husband and started a new relationship with Robert L Lightfoot II. They married on 12 August 2019 and changed her name to Katy M. Lightfoot.
Gabe Rygaard’s Earnings and Net Worth
Gabe Rygaard has left a huge fortune for his wife and children. He rose to stardom after associating with the History Channel reality series Ax Men. Gabe appeared in eight consecutive seasons of Ax Men. He was the most desired logger and former Clallam County commissioner candidate. He also started a timber brokerage company, Ryfield Properties Inc, with his wife, Katy.
Although it’s hard to put up an actual annual salary of Gabe Rygaard in words, he had an estimated net worth of $3 million. An average salary of an employee working at Ax-Men is $68,271, but Gabe must have earned more as he was one of the main cast. He had lived a happy life together with his wife and children.
Social Media
Gabe Rygaard believed in a virtual world and started a website, Rygaard Logging, which sells for only $3695. Similarly, he even launched a website, Rygaard for Commissioner. Gabe joined Twitter in March 2013, and he has 322 followers. He was connected with 164 friends through Facebook.
Also, see Bob Harte’s Career, Relationship, Wife, Daughter, Net Worth, and Cause of Death.
Learn About Career Details
Gabe Rygaard’s father always wanted him to pursue a different career rather than join their family business. So, he started working on a fishing boat in Alaska. Later, he returned to his hometown and started working under his father. He started Ryfield Properties Inc and merged it with his family business.
Watch: Ax Men: Rygaard Logging Forges a New Path (Season 10) | History
Gabe’s career took on a successful height appearing in the History Channel reality series Ax Men. He joined the series in its second season and maintained his presence till its ninth season. Gabe was one of the main casts of Ax Men and followed four other logging crews in the Pacific Northwest. He shared the screen with Jay Browning, Mike Pihl, and Jimmy Smith.
Gabe always tried to provide employment opportunities to the locals. He even participated in the Republican Party primary for Clallam County commissioner. Sadly, he lost in August. He also ran Penny Creek Quarry in Quilcene, Washington, at the time of his death.
