Colin McLean Wiki, Bio, Age, Wife, Children, Highway Thru Hell Career & Net Worth Facts

Colin McLean is a Canadian heavy recovery operator and television personality best known for his role on Discovery Channel’s Highway Thru Hell. From towing in Alberta’s oil-field highways to leading rescues on British Columbia’s Coquihalla, he appeared in about 40 episodes between 2014 and 2021. Recognized as a lead driver with Jamie Davis Motor Truck & Auto Ltd., McLean became one of the show’s most reliable operators, noted for his ability to adapt to both modern hydraulic wreckers and vintage “old iron” machines. His career timeline traces steady growth from early work in Alberta to a central presence on one of Canada’s most-watched reality series.

Away from the cameras, Colin’s story is also one of family and resilience. He navigated the challenges of marriage and divorce, raised two sons—Tyler and Hayden—and faced the heartbreak of losing both his father and grandparents within a short span of time. These experiences, while deeply personal, provide context to the man viewers saw on screen: someone balancing the high demands of heavy recovery with the everyday realities of fatherhood, family ties, and personal loss. This balance of professional grit and private struggle makes his journey compelling well beyond the highways he helped keep open.

Early Life and Background

Born on June 28, 1973, Colin McLean was born and raised in British Columbia. He grew up as the middle child in his family, with an older brother, Ken McLean, and a younger brother, Doug McLean. His early years were shaped by long-lasting friendships and an active, outdoorsy lifestyle. In a 2013 reflection, he recalled riding bikes to school, playing basketball and street hockey until late at night, and spending hours with early video games like Pong. Winters often took him to Hemlock Mountain, where he learned to ski, while summers were filled with community activities and adventures shared with childhood friends.

Colin sometimes earned a reputation in school for getting into mischief, which occasionally led to parents trying to keep him at arm’s length. Despite this, his closest friendships endured—through late-night games of street hockey, basketball in driveways, and long bike rides to school. Those early bonds grew into lifelong connections, with Colin standing alongside friends during milestones as well as difficult times.

Career and Role on the Show

Colin’s professional journey began long before television fame. In the early 2010s, he left Vancouver’s Lower Mainland for Alberta, determined to test himself on some of Canada’s most unforgiving roads. By October 2014, he publicly reflected that he was 41 years old, with 15 years in towing—11 of those in heavy-duty recovery—while working across both British Columbia and Alberta. This snapshot revealed just how much experience he had already gained by the time viewers first saw him on screen.

During his two and a half years in Alberta—ending in March 2016 when he announced his final week of towing there—Colin towed along Highways 63, 881, 55, 28, 16, 32, 40, and the rugged Highway 2, as well as remote routes like the OCR, Willow Creek, and the Suncor Highway. Many of these roads were unmapped and treacherous, demanding precision and grit. Colin described them as some of the deadliest conditions imaginable, a world apart from towing in the Lower Mainland.

While there, he worked with DRM Towing and forged friendships with colleagues including Devon Poole, Jackson Meekes, West Cole, Dean Baxter, and Mike Schulze. He credited Mike and Kathie Suto as mentors who became like family. The brutal winters, deep mud, and relentless cold sharpened his recovery skills and prepared him for leadership, inspiring him to pass along his knowledge as he later moved into more administrative roles. In his 2016 reflection, Colin emphasized that he would miss Alberta but was eager to return to British Columbia and carry forward the lessons learned into the next chapter of his career.

Colin’s Alberta experience overlapped with the early years of Highway Thru Hell. By 2014 he had joined the cast while still working in Alberta, and his proven skill set brought him into the spotlight of Jamie Davis Motor Truck & Auto Ltd., the company at the center of the series. Between 2014 and 2021, he appeared in around 40 episodes, becoming known as one of the show’s most dependable operators. Frequently described as the lead driver, he handled some of the most challenging recoveries on the Coquihalla Highway and surrounding routes.

His adaptability stood out in Season 3, when Jamie Davis expanded into Alberta’s oil-field highways, terrain Colin already knew well. Battling extreme cold and massive recoveries, he proved himself indispensable to the team.

In Season 7, Colin returned to Hope, British Columbia, at another pivotal moment. Jamie Davis had begun phasing out modern hydraulic wreckers in favor of older “old iron” machines, including the restored Holmes 850 “Mighty Mo.” For Colin—accustomed to advanced hydraulics—this was a major adjustment, but he quickly mastered the vintage rigs, further cementing his reputation as an operator capable of handling both modern and classic heavy recovery equipment.

Reputation and Recognition

Colin’s reputation on screen grew steadily throughout his years with Highway Thru Hell. From his earliest episodes in 2014, he was recognized as a dependable operator, often called upon for the most complex jobs. His steady presence was highlighted in pivotal moments—such as Jamie’s efforts in later seasons to bring him back into the yard—underscoring just how valuable he was to the team. Fans and colleagues alike praised his contributions, with many posting on social media, “Colin McLean you are missed,” whenever he was absent.

By 2020, Colin also reflected on one of his most memorable experiences: meeting a young fan named Eli, whose excitement about tow trucks and the show left a lasting impression. He described it as “truly amazing” to see the series inspire children and spark interest in heavy rescue work. For Colin, it represented the deeper impact of his role, beyond clearing highways, in motivating the next generation.

Colin’s contributions coincided with some of the show’s most-watched years, a period when Highway Thru Hell consistently ranked among the Top 10 programs in Canada and attracted international audiences. However, after Season 9 in 2021, he did not return, marking the close of his on-screen journey with Jamie Davis’s team.

Personal Life

Colin McLean has experienced both the demands of heavy recovery and the challenges of family life. He was married but later went through a divorce, a personal transition he has kept largely private. Colin is also the proud father of two sons, Tyler and Hayden. Tyler has built a career around fitness and bodybuilding, while Hayden distinguished himself early in sports, playing competitive baseball and even competing at the Junior Little League World Series in 2015. He later pursued higher education at Indiana State University and has since settled in Coquitlam, British Columbia.

Family losses have also marked Colin’s personal journey. In late May 2015, Colin’s father passed away, only a day or two apart from the death of his grandmother. These back-to-back losses were devastating for the McLean family. They followed the passing of his other grandmother in 2014, making a two‑year span particularly difficult. The deaths of his father and grandparents in 2014–2015 marked a difficult period for Colin and his brothers, Ken and Doug. 

Beyond the Cameras

Colin’s life off the show offers glimpses of his down-to-earth personality. Social media posts have captured him working on his own scrap cars, reflecting a passion for vehicles beyond professional towing. Colleagues have also shared moments of him spending downtime with friends—whether it’s grabbing dinner, sharing a beer, or simply enjoying casual camaraderie. These snapshots reveal the personal side of a man who, while respected for his work, also treasures lasting friendships and simple joys.

He also maintains a presence on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), where he engages with fans and occasionally shares updates tied to Highway Thru Hell seasons. His enduring popularity shows not just the impact he had on the show, but also how much he resonated with viewers who came to respect him as both an operator and a person.

Colin McLean Net Worth 2025

Colin McLean has built his wealth through decades in the demanding world of heavy-duty recovery and his appearances on Discovery Channel’s hit series Highway Thru Hell. While there are no official figures for his finances, industry data provides a clear picture.

In Canada, experienced heavy-duty tow operators typically earn between $55,000 and $80,000 per year, while business owners in this field can see significantly higher returns through equipment ownership and service contracts. On top of that, television exposure adds another income stream. Supporting cast members on shows like Highway Thru Hell are generally paid in the range of $1,500–$4,000 per episode, with additional indirect earnings coming from boosted business visibility and new contracts.

Taking all of this into account—alongside average Canadian household assets such as property, vehicles, and retirement savings—Colin McLean’s net worth in 2025 is estimated to be between $500,000 and $1 million CAD, with most indicators pointing toward around $750,000 CAD.

This places him among the financially successful blue-collar professionals in his field, with wealth built not only from salary and business ventures but also from the global reach of Highway Thru Hell.

Colin McLean Wiki Bio Facts Table

Attribute	Details
Full Name	Colin McLean
Date of Birth	June 28, 1973
Age	52 years old (as of 2025)
Birthplace	British Columbia, Canada
Nationality	Canadian
Ethnicity	White
Profession	Heavy recovery operator, Television personality
Known For	Cast member on Discovery Channel’s Highway Thru Hell
Years Active	2014–2021 (television), over 15 years in towing prior
Employer	Jamie Davis Motor Truck & Auto Ltd.
Show Presence	~40 episodes (2014–2021)
Key Highlights	Season 3 Alberta expansion; Season 7 “old iron” fleet; memorable fan interaction with boy Eli
Marital Status	Divorced
Ex-Wife	Name not publicly disclosed
Children	Two sons – Tyler McLean (fitness/bodybuilding career) and Hayden McLean (baseball, Indiana State University student, resides in Coquitlam, BC)
Residence	Based in British Columbia, Canada
Net Worth (Est.)	Between $500,000 and $1 million CAD
Reputation	Trusted, dependable, adaptable in extreme recovery operations
Off-Duty Interests	Working on scrap cars, spending time with friends, social gatherings