Is Tom Oar Leaving Mountain Men? What Happened?

Tom Oar is a well-known American mountain man, tanner, and retired rodeo who rose to fame as a reality TV star after being featured on the reality program, “Mountain Men.” The show has been on TV for over a decade and wrapped up its 11th Season on December 2022.

Tom is among the eldest and regular cast of the show. And the show has been featuring his tough mountain life at the Yaak Rover in Montana since 2012.

Now as the star has aged, he has started to have some health issues, which is evident to his fans from the show. So because of that, the public is now concerned about his wellness and his future in the program.

So, as we wait for the latest Season of “Mountain Men,” let’s get to know Tom Oar a little better while also shedding light on his health.

Who is Tom Oar? His Bio and Career

Born in Illinois around the 1940s, Mr. Oar is almost 80 years old. Tom remembers growing up freely and roaming around the countryside with his brother, Jack Oar.

Likewise, his father was a horseman, and he and his brother learned horse riding and its tricks. Therefore, at the age of just 15, he inherited his father’s profession and entered the rodeo. And by the time he reached his 20s, he was already a champion who earned ranks of the International Rodeo Association.

After a massive success at a rodeo, an incident changes Tom’s fate. In 1970, he met an accident in the arena, where he faced a concussion after he fell off the animal while his hands were still tied to it.

The accident caused severe injury, and he only returned to the arena after a month. But, he couldn’t perform well and ultimately retired. Likewise, it was after the 1980s when he discovered the life of Montana while he and his wife did horse riding in the mountains during summer.

But as destiny had different plans, one day, Tom and his wife Nancy packed their belonging, bought a pickup vehicle, and went on to live in the mountains leaving behind all the modern means of living. Within years, the couple learned to hunt, trap, and even tan to make clothes to make a living in the mountains.

Now it has been over 4 decades that Tom and his wife have been living an utterly remote life in a log cabin, but the old man says, “Amazing life, “I’ve enjoyed every bit of it. And as long as I can still do it, hell, I’m going to do it.”

Soon Tom and his wife were approached by the producer of “Mountain Men,” and the couple’s everyday survival skills in the mountains were featured on TV.

Tom Oar Health Issue: What Happened to Him?

The older man has started to have health issues, most probably because of his age. In the 4th episode of the last season, i.e., Season 11, Tom was seen waking up at midnight after he had difficulty breathing.

The concerned couple immediately drove to the town to see the doctor and found some issues with his heart. However, the good news is that his heart condition can be stabilized with regular medications.

Is Tom Oar Leaving Mountain Men?

Mr. Oar might soon leave the History channel’s “Mountain Men.” Though he has not officially talked about retiring, he has given hints about moving back to Florida with his wife.

Though Tom was seen having a health issue in the latest season, he remained committed to the show and battled the harsh temperature and hardship at the Yaak River Valey throughout the season.

Once Oar said that they require large cords of wood to keep themselves warm in the winter, and as it’s just him, his wife, and their dog to carry them, it is getting more and more difficult.

“We can’t keep doing this forever. I keep telling Nancy, one of these days, you’ll probably just find me stretched out dead over the fleshing block,”

He added.

However, as the star ages, his lifelong health issue can mean he might not appear in the next season. Apart from Tom and Nancy’s decision, reports claim that their children are also pressuring them to retire and return to Florida.

But nothing is official yet, as neither the producer nor the Oar couple has confirmed this rumor. But if they did decide to do any more new seasons, fans must respect their decisions.

Another Reality TV Show, “The Last Alaskans,” Came to An End After the Main Cast of the Show Decided to Retire

The Discovery Channel-based reality show “The Last Alaskan” ended in 2019 after airing for 4 years. According to the source, the Lewis family was among the viewers’ favorite families on the show.

The family consists of Ray Lewis, Cindy Lewis, and their children, Molly, Emma, and Sarah. They joined the show in 2015 in the first season, and due to their high popularity, they were even featured in the 2nd season. But, in the 3rd season, the family was not included, making viewers dissatisfied.

However, the Discovery channel clarified that the family spent more time on their houseboat rather than in the refugee camp. And as the show was mainly based on the lives of people living in a refugee camp, they found it challenging to include the Lewis family in the show.

Nonetheless, the show’s viewers began dropping gradually since Season 3, and after Heimo and his wife Edma also decided to retire from the show, it officially ended with the 4th season in 2019.