What happened to ‘Gold Rush’ star Rick Ness’ face?

If there’s one thing reality TV has given us over the years, it’s the chance to meet new faces and rising personalities in the spotlight. While that’s not always for the best, sometimes we do come across fresh faces who are genuinely interesting to watch — such was the case with Rick Ness.

We first met Ness in Season 3 of Gold Rush, and unlike most miners on the show, the Michigan native had never mined for gold in his life. Soon enough, he proved himself to be Parker’s perfect right-hand man throughout the following seasons. Now, in Season 15, Rick Ness is back on our screens after a two-season absence — but only, he looks different, and there’s no denying that something happened during his hiatus, so let’s dive into it.

What happened to Rick Ness?

According to several reports, Rick Ness’ sudden change in appearance may be linked to drug abuse. While it may come as a surprise, the reality star allegedly turned to drugs during his time away from Gold Rush, as reported by TV Insider.

You might recall that in Season 12 of Gold Rush, Ness was no longer part of the mining crew. The 43-year-old announced his temporary departure from the Discovery show after losing his mother, Judy Marie Bedard, to cancer. In a Facebook post, Ness shared the news of her passing, revealing that she had battled small cell lymphoma since 2008 and large B-cell lymphoma since 2011.

Following her passing, Ness took time off to focus on himself, his family, and, most importantly, healing. However, according to TV Insider, this journey was anything but smooth. The reality star reportedly spiraled into a deep depression and turned to drugs for solace, ultimately developing an addiction.

While details about his alleged drug use are scarce, fans and media outlets quickly speculated that his sudden facial changes were not solely the result of possible surgery but rather the effects of substance abuse. According to the official government site, JustThinkTwice, prolonged drug use can significantly alter a person’s appearance, often in more drastic ways than one might expect.

However, this change in appearance can also be attributed to other factors that commonly affect a person’s looks, such as age and weight changes. When we first met Ness in 2012, he was only 30 years old. Now, 13 years later, the physical effects of aging are more noticeable — time flies, and the reality star is already 43. At the same time, weight fluctuations can also be a side effect of drug abuse, and naturally, it will change the way someone looks.

Regarding his mental health, in another interview with TV Insider, Ness shared that during his struggles, he often bottled up his emotions until they became impossible to ignore. “The big thing that I used to do when I dealt with tough situations is I wouldn’t do anything. I would swallow it down and try to move on,” he said.

“After a while, it becomes harder to ignore and dismiss, and you look for new ways to do that.” Fortunately, Ness has since adopted a healthier mindset after getting clean. He now considers himself a “work in progress” and is focused on facing “everything head-on.”