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Life Below Zero is one of National Geographic’s documentary television series which aims at showing the viewer the daily living of citizens based in the remote settings of Alaska. The reality series also streams on Disney+ and this is something that few people are aware of.
We all know Alaska is known for its cold weather. Sometimes, Alaskans tend to complain due to its extreme. Life Below Zero first premiered on May 19, 2013, and the reception of the show was great.
Indeed, there are so many things fans don't know about Life Below Zero but one thing they are sure of is that Erik Salitan was one of the original and youngest cast members to be featured.
Erik lives with his family in Alaska and during his time on Life Below Zero, the viewers got to see how he was able to survive living in a setting where the temperature is usually below zero. In the show, Erik was a hunter, still is, who lived in a cabin with no access to running water, or modern types of equipment to help keep his food fresh.
While Erik joined Life Below Zero in Season 1, episode 1, his wife joined a few seasons later precisely in season 4, episode 1. Almost always, fans got to see Erik's wife beside him on the program.
Just when the reality show was getting more interesting, Erik decided to make his exit. What prompted him to make such an abrupt decision?
Who Is Surivalist Erik Salitan?
Many people who have watched Life Below Zero tend to assume that Erik is an Alaskan. It turns out he’s not. According to Affair Post, Erik was born on February 9th, 1984 in New York. As a child, Erik always had an interest in adventure and fun outdoor activities. His love for being an explorer started very early in his life.
After high school, Erik went to Finger Lakes Community College. It was then that he had an epiphany that the world of adventure is much greater than his surroundings in the city of New York. Immediately, at the age of 18, Erik went on and packed his bags, leaving behind the hustling and bustling of the busy streets of New York to begin a new life in Alaska.
While in Alaska, Erik Salitan found a home in Wiseman and while he was building a house, for himself, he was staying in a tent. He enrolled in the University Of Fairbanks. It seems like his education over there worked out well for him. He managed to graduate with a degree in Natural Resources Conservation. Over time, Erik managed to live a very simple life as a hunter and gatherer.
In addition to Erik Salitan being a former reality television star, he is also a registered pilot, business owner, and guide.
Does Erik Salitan Have A Family?
Erik Salitan is married to Martha Mae Salitan, and they’ve been together happily for over a decade. As mentioned earlier, both Erik and Martha have been featured on Life Below Zero.
Erik met Martha in her hometown where they now reside in Alaska. The story of how Erik proposed to Martha is quite fascinating. In one of the deleted scenes of National Geographic’s Life Below Zero, Erik and Martha were reminiscing on the day he proposed.
On the show, Erik asked Martha while they were rolling a fishing reel if she remembered the last time they folded the tip up. Erik said, “I tried everything to get you outside of the house to give you that engagement ring. That ring was burning a hole in my pocket for like weeks.” Erik continued, “Finally, I baited you on the ice fishing.”
The reason Erik baited Martha to go ice fishing was that he knew that she was obsessed with that kind of activity.
In short, Erik had placed the engagement ring on the tip of the fishing reel. Martha didn’t notice it twice because she was just trying hard to catch a fish. On the third try, Erik had to do something for her to notice, “... And then I shined the light right on the ring, and it sparkled, and then you went like this, ‘Oh.’”
Besides that, Martha and Erik have a son together. His name is Lucas Salitan, and he was born in 2010.
Additionally, Martha has lived all her life in Alaska. She was raised in Iliamna, Alaska. According to their business website which the couple runs together, Martha is a ‘second-generation sport fishing operator.’ She is also the owner of the Blanchard Family Funeral Home and Birch Hill Cemetery.
Erik and Martha Salitan have had their marriage life out of the public eye and for that no wonder they have no scandals involved.
This Is Why Erik Salitan Left Life Below Zero
Erik is a very private man. Chances are Erik and his wife left the show because they no longer wanted to be in the limelight. It is unclear though why Erik bid Life Below Zero farewell in 2016.
Now that Erik and his wife are running successful businesses, they both decided to put all their efforts into that rather than on the reality show.
According to Affair Post, another assumption that contributed to Erik exiting Life Below Zero was that he was dissatisfied with the producers of the show. They always had too many cameras to his face, helicopters everywhere, and other inconveniences. All Erik ever wanted was just some little peace, quiet, and privacy. That’s the main reason he moved from New York to Alaska.
Being on the show though garnered him so much popularity and a lot of money.
According to Alaska TV Shows, Erik has an accumulated net worth of $400,000. Obviously, other than his many businesses, being featured on Life Below Zero contributed to Erik Salitan’s wealth.
