They say it's a man's world when it comes
to being a trucker—not anymore. American
tough cookie, Lisa Kelly, came onto the scene
displaying her trucking skills, knowledge,
and experience. She's been a celebrity trucker
since she started in 2009. What's new with
her and where is she now?
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Lisa Kelly Early Life & Former Career
Lisa Kelly was born on December 8, 1980, in
Grand Rapids, Michigan. At age 6, her family
moved to a mini farm in Sterling, Alaska.
Kelly returned to Michigan for college, where
she studied at Cornerstone University for
one semester before deciding it was not for
her.
The American tomboy had a string of jobs,
including a school bus driver and motocross
rider. She also worked at gas stations and
a pizza company. With an unsettled career,
Kelly eventually decided to train as a professional
trucker because "it looked interesting."
Lisa Kelly Big Break On Ice Road Truckers
In 2009, Kelly rose to fame on the History
channel reality series Ice Road Truckers,
a spinoff of Ice Road Truckers (IRT): Deadliest
Roads. The series focuses on the life of drivers
who operate trucks through harsh weather routes,
crossing frozen lakes and rivers in remote
areas in Canada and Alaska.
Being the only female on the show up till
Season 4, the 40-year-old once described it
as a "difficult achievement" because she had
to work twice as hard to get jobs done quicker
than her male colleagues. Needless to say,
her inspirational ways paved the way for new
female truckers like Maya Sieber, who joined
Ice Road Truckers in Season 5 and Stephanie
"Steph" Custance in season 10.
Since the show's inception in 2007, the trailblazer
trucker has credited her experience to co-stars
such as Carey Hall, Todd Dewey, and the late
Darrell Ward, who passed away in a plane crash
in 2016. Kelly continued to be the leading
trucker for seasons 3 to 5 and 7 to 11. With
her charming personality and trucker know-how,
she gained a massive fanbase nationwide.
The Ice Road Truckers star even made an appearance
on the iconic Late Show with David Letterman
in 2010. When asked what she loves about trucking,
she jokingly adds, "I get to go to work in
my pajamas."
A Female Force & Media Attention
In a predominantly male industry, Kelly had
much to prove. She was determined to show
the world that she is more than just "eye
candy" for the series. In her season 3 debut,
she raced against the clock to deliver construction
equipment to Deadhorse within a day, blazing
through the frozen Arctic Ocean to the end.
Kelly was a contender from the very start.
The long-distance driver also faced her share
of media sexism. When the tabloids portray
her as the "sexiest trucker alive" and "cuts
a pretty figure," she shrugs off such remarks
or makes jokes to show how irrelevant they
are.
Who is Lisa Kelly Married To? & Social Presence
Kelly is married to an avid dirt biker husband,
Traves Kelly. They dated for four years before
tying the knot in 2008. The couple lives in
Wasilla, Alaska, and don't have any children.
In her free time, Kelly has other daredevil
hobbies such as skydiving, hang gliding, and
snowboarding.
Kelly is the global ambassador for Worldtrucker,
an online community for professional truck
drivers and trucking enthusiasts. She also
has a phenomenal 777 thousand followers on
Facebook and another 65 thousand on Twitter.
To date, Lisa Kelly has a net worth of $500
thousand and is a respected personality championing
women in unconventional careers.
Which is your favorite Lisa Kelly moment?
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