Ice Road Truckers Cast Deaths 2025: Who Passed Away and What Happened to Them?

Imagine being surrounded by nothing but icy lakes, minus 40°C winds battering your windshield, and just enough time to haul life-saving cargo before the ice melts. That’s the brutal reality Ice Road Truckers brought into homes back in June 2007, when its premiere drew 3.4 million viewers, making it the most-watched original telecast in History Channel’s lineup at the time. The mix of danger, grit, and raw personalities of truckers braving frozen highways made the show an instant hit. Fans tuned in season after season to see if their favorite drivers could conquer the unforgiving conditions of Alaska and Canada’s treacherous ice roads.

After 11 seasons, the show wrapped in November 2017 and went on hiatus, leaving fans wondering if it would ever return. Then came the surprise—on September 3, 2025, History confirmed that Ice Road Truckers would make a comeback with Season 12, set to premiere on October 1, 2025, at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT. The revival has reignited excitement among long-time fans, but it has also stirred bittersweet memories of the truckers who are no longer with us.

Remembering the Fallen Truckers

Over the years, Ice Road Truckers introduced viewers to dozens of drivers, each with their own story, quirks, and reputation on the road. Sadly, not all of them are alive to witness the show’s much-anticipated return.

Darrell Ward

Darrell joined the series in Season 6 (2012) with more than 31 years of trucking experience, including work in logging and long‑haul routes before moving to Alaska’s Dalton Highway. During his time on the show, he quickly became a central figure, running loads in harsh conditions and often paired with Lisa Kelly as both a partner and mentor. His willingness to share his experience and take on leadership roles made him one of the most visible and respected drivers on the program.

On August 28, 2016, Ward and pilot Mark Melotz were killed when their Cessna 182D Skylane crashed near Clinton, Montana. The aircraft had departed Missoula and was attempting to land at Rock Creek Airport when it veered sharply about 40 feet above the runway and struck trees before catching fire. The NTSB investigation was unable to determine the exact cause of the crash. Ward’s last appearance was in Season 10 (2016), which began airing just weeks before his death; starting with episode five, the season and its reruns were dedicated to his memory.

Gerald “Ollie Bear” Swenson

Who was Ollie Bear on Ice Road Truckers? Gerald Roy Swenson was introduced in Season 2 (2008) during the runs on the 194 km Tuktoyaktuk Winter Road between Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk in Canada’s Northwest Territories. At the time, he was a 59‑year‑old veteran with six years of ice‑road trucking experience in addition to a long logging career and guiding work. On the show, he distinguished himself with his steady, reliable approach and completed 63 loads, hauling over four million pounds of cargo—the highest total for the season’s main drivers.

Swenson was born in Birch Hills, Saskatchewan in 1948 and raised in Lumby, BC. Before his ice road career, he worked for decades in the logging industry. Away from television, he was known for meeting friends daily for coffee in Revelstoke and Vernon and was regarded as a supportive family man. Swenson died on December 11, 2022, at age 74, from complications related to cancer. He is survived by children, grandchildren, and siblings. His record on the ice and his reputation as a dependable driver remain part of the history of the series.

Jack “Cactus Jack” McCahan

Jack McCahan was a recurring driver on Alaska’s Dalton Highway (Haul Road), the remote and hazardous route that connects Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay. He appeared in one of the early seasons and even served as a trainer to fellow driver Alex Debogorski, adding to his credibility and reputation within the cast.

On October 15, 2014, news broke that McCahan had been in a serious crash on the Haul Road. Lisa Kelly shared with fans that he had made it through the night in ICU. By October 24, she updated everyone again, writing that there was “not much new on Jack,” but that he was “steadily getting better” and even “awake some of the time now.” She thanked everyone for caring and praying, along with his doctors and his daughter for keeping fans updated. Despite these hopeful signs, his condition worsened, and in November the accident ultimately proved fatal. On November 26, 2014 Lisa Kelly confirmed his death publicly on Facebook, calling him “a true pro,” expressing thanks for his years of service, and asking fans to keep his family in their prayers. The next day, November 27, Jack Jessee’s blog—maintained by his wife Judy—published a detailed tribute that described McCahan as “a hard‑working trucker with a great sense of humor” who shared stories and jokes and was “simply a joy to be around.” Jessee emphasized that “Everybody loved Jack. Everybody loves Jack. He will be in our thoughts and so…still on the road…with us.” These direct tributes from fellow cast members documented his character and his contribution to the trucking community. McCahan passed away at the age of 80, a detail that further underscored his long life and decades of dedication to trucking.