Who was Dakota Fred Hurt married to? All about his wife and kids as Gold Rush star dies aged 80
Gold miner and Gold Rush star Dakota Fred Hurt recently passed away on July 11, 2023. He was suffering from cancer, which led to his demise. Dakota was married to Lorrayne Frances Leier Hurt, who passed away on February 2, 2015, and they had a son named Dustin Hurt. The following year, he tied the knot with Jennifer Sheets.
A statement was shared on Dakota’s official Facebook page, which stated that he was surrounded by his family. The statement continued:
“He fought courageously in his battle against cancer. Fred touched many lives and was loved and supported by many. If you feel inclined to donate on Fred’s behalf, please consider donating to the Mike Rowe Works Foundation in Fred’s honor. Having worked in skilled labor for the majority of his career, Fred was passionate about teaching others these valuable skills.”
Television personality Rick Ness also posted a picture on Facebook. He recalled an event linked to Dakota Fred Hurt and wrote:
“It was about 12 years ago I was mining at The Big Nugget Mine in Haines Alaska right across the creek from him and his crew. I actually even spent one of my weekends off running a loader for him. It was just a regular day, nothing too exciting but I’ll always remember how much fun he seemed to be having and how much he was enjoying himself.”
Dakota Fred Hurt married Jennifer in 2016
According to Jennifer Hurt’s Facebook page, she and Dakota Fred Hurt were romantically linked since July 2015. They exchanged vows the following year, and she and Dakota were reportedly dating before the death of Dakota’s first wife, Lorrayne Frances Leier.
Born on June 4, 1969, Jennifer Hurt was a resident of Contra Costa County and Southern Oregon when she was previously married to Carl Gene Sheets. Following her marriage to Dakota, she lived in Glendale, Oregon.
Jennifer finished her schooling at Patchin’s Elementary School and joined Los Medanos College in California, where she underwent training as an emergency medical technician and paramedic. Jennifer’s Facebook page reveals that she was a medical professional and a camp cook at Raw TV.
Jennifer had four children from her previous marriage – Jeremy, Kayla, Zackary, and Eli. Her first husband, Carl Gene Sheets, passed away from a long illness in 2014, and she was at his residence at the time.
Dakota Fred Hurt was known for his appearances in the Gold Rush spin-offs
Dakota Fred Hurt started his career in the 1960s in the Gulf of Mexico as a Commercial Diver. He underwent training in demolition and the rescue of ships and cargo from troubled waters.
He soon became a gold miner and was the owner and manager of a construction company for around 25 years. He exited the company in 2004 and continued to explore Alaska’s gold mines. He then established a gold processing plant at Little Squaw Lake, Alaska, and they extracted around 600 ounces of gold from the ground.
He gained recognition for his appearances in various spinoffs of Gold Rush, which include Gold Rush: South America and Gold Rush: The Legend of Porcupine Creek. His son Dustin appeared in a spinoff titled Gold Rush: White Water.
