Rick Ness joined the Discovery series “Gold Rush” in Season 3 as a new miner. His career started off well, and he soon became very good at his job, earning a permanent spot on the show. But when Season 13 started, Rick wasn’t there. This worried his friend, Brian “Zee” Zaremba, who decided to visit him in the second episode. Rick shared that he was feeling down and revealed that he was dealing with seasonal affective disorder and depression.
When Zee asked if the death of Rick’s mother could be affecting his mood, Rick admitted that he still owned her house but had not been inside for two years. He expressed his frustration, saying, “Maybe that’ll help, maybe it won’t. That’s the frustrating thing about it, I don’t know what’s causing it.”
Before Season 14 of “Gold Rush,” Rick Ness updated his fans. He posted on Facebook, “As many of you guys know, I’ve had a rough couple of years dealing with stuff, you know, personal issues — things probably a lot of people can relate to.” He continued, “I made some bad decisions … and ultimately it cost me a year in mining.” Rick didn’t go into details, but during the new season, he disclosed that recreational drugs were a factor in his challenges.
Rick Ness’s struggles with drugs
“Gold Rush” fans welcomed Rick Ness back in Season 14, hopeful for his successful comeback. However, his hiatus from the show was marked by significant challenges. In a segment broadcasted by Gold Rush News, Ness confessed to Brian Zaremba, “I was f***ing doing a little, you know, cocaine.” He also disclosed that he had to sell his mother’s house to fund the current mining season.
After taking a break during Season 13 to address his mental health, Ness spoke to People about his struggles. “There was a lot of things going on. I’m a gold miner with the stigma there. I don’t really ask for help, you know what I mean? I’ve always been that way,” he explained.
He added, “And it’s just some things were going on in my head, and I didn’t know what it was, because I didn’t know anything about depression and things of that nature. And so I just thought I’d deal with it myself and try and figure it out, which is tough when you don’t know what you’re dealing with.”
Ness expressed his gratitude for another chance at mining and seemed committed to changing his life in Season 14. However, according to his ex-fiancée, he reverted to his old behaviors.
Rick Ness and Leese Arie’s rocky relationship post “Gold Rush” season 14
After the start of “Gold Rush” Season 14, Rick Ness’s ex-girlfriend, Leese Arie, responded to accusations that she was to blame for his troubles. In a statement shared on Reddit by a fan, Arie clarified, “I have absolutely nothing to do with the bad choices Rick made while we were together. He lied and cheated our whole relationship as his ‘problem’ got worse. I can see why the fans think it was me, but this ‘problem’ started months before I even knew him.”
In late January 2024, it appeared that the on-again, off-again couple might reconcile. Rick posted on Facebook, expressing his eagerness to reunite with Arie after Season 14, writing, “I can’t wait to get back to AZ and the broad in this picture who goes by the future Mrs. Ness.” However, their reunion was short-lived.
In February, Arie disclosed on Instagram, in a post reported by Starcasm, that their relationship had deteriorated: “I will never understand how someone can propose to you and not even 48 hours later cheat yet again with another prostitute. Since getting back with Rick after his return from this season he has cheated at least 6 times that I know of.”
Arie expressed her resolve, stating, “I will never be able to win over his addiction of cocaine and prostitutes. Today is the day that I stand up for myself and finally stop hiding this man.” As of May 8, 2024, Rick Ness has yet to publicly address Arie’s claims and has not made any statements on social media.