Port Protection Alaska star Gary Muehlberger is once again in the spotlight after recent events made audiences question what happened to the reality TV personality.
Gary Muehlberger's 'Remembering Gary' Port Protection Tribute Episode
Gary Muehlberger is once again a hot topic among Port Protection Alaska fans after a recent episode aired on National Geographic.
Among the show's ongoing Season 7 run on National Geographic, a new special episode titled "Remembering Gary" turned heads in the Port Protection fan community, as it was promised to pay tribute to the late Gary Muehlberger, who starred in the series for four seasons.
The tribute episode aired on Tuesday, April 15, before the release of Season 8, Episode 6, which is why Muehlberger's name has burbled back up in the headlines.
However, fans were shocked to find that this was a rerun of a previous episode, which originally debuted in December 2024. The episode focused on the other Port Protection community members putting together a celebration of life for the series' mainstay rather than centering on Muehlberger and his legacy.
Muehlberger has been absent from the series since his death in March 2021.
How Did Gary on Port Protection Die?
Gary Muehlberger tragically passed away on March 17, 2021, marking the end of his time in Port Protection.
Muehlberger perished in a house fire in the small Alaskan community, being the lone victim of the blaze, which engulfed his Port Protection residence (via Alaska's News Source).
The Port Protection star was 75 years old, and authorities ultimately ruled the fire accidentally.
Tributes to the longtime TV personality flooded in after news of his passing made its way online. The show's official Facebook page eulogized Muehlberger shortly after his death, calling him the "heart and soul" of Port Protection in a lengthy March 2021 post:
"It was with great sadness that we learned about Gary Muehlberger’s passing last week. He was the heart and soul of Port Protection and a valuable member of our family. Gary was one of a kind and we will miss him dearly."
The series then focused directly on Muehlberger's legacy with the "Remembering Gary" special episode, which depicted the small Alaskan community mourning one of their own.
Muehlberger is not the only series mainstay to pass away during its Season 8 run. Fellow Port Protection star Litzi Botello sadly passed several months after Muehlberger in June 2021.
Since Muehlberger's passing, the show has continued for more than three seasons since his last appearance, with Season 8 ongoing on National Geographic.
Since 2015, the National Geographic show has told the story of the Alaskan town of Port Protection, a small remote community of roughly 40.
Throughout its eight seasons to this point, Port Protection has focused on several members of the small American community (including, for a time, star Mary Miller) grappling with each other and the brutality of living near the Arctic Circle.
