Legendary YouTuber 'Outdoor Boys' comes out of retirement — but only for a heartbreaking reason
For years, Luke Nichols’ name was synonymous with adventures, survival challenges and the kind of stories that built the "Outdoor Boys" channel into a phenomenon. When he retired earlier this year, having gained nearly 12 million of his followers in just 18 months, his fans understood. His “Goodbye” video spoke candidly about the difficulties of sudden fame, the late nights, the travel and the toll it was taking on his family. Nichols said plainly that “even good things can be taken too far,” and that it was time to redirect his energy. But life has a way of drawing people back in similarly, how at the end of November, Nichols appeared onscreen again, but not on his own channel, per DailyMail.
Viewers of "MyLifeOutdoors" were surprised to see him open a new video with an admission: “You’re not imagining things. This is not my YouTube channel.” He then shared the reason behind this unexpected return. “Some of you guys may have heard that Steven's wife was recently diagnosed with cancer,” Nichols said, referring to his friend and fellow creator Steven Smith. “So, right now, Steven's got a lot on his plate, taking care of his wife and his four kids. I thought I might step in and do a little YouTube video for him so he can worry about one thing at a time.”
Celesta, Smith’s wife, initially had thyroid cancer and a removal surgery later progressed into breast cancer and after an MRI, they learned it had reached her lymph nodes. She now faces 22 weeks of chemotherapy, followed by a mastectomy scheduled for next spring. With Smith focused entirely on his home life, Nichols picked up the camera without making any noise and flew to Alaska. There, in "MyLifeOutdoors" way, he braved a snowstorm with no tent or sleeping bag, building a shelter from a fallen tree and cooking moose stew over a fire.
He even leaned into Smith’s trademark quirks, joking about “getting a late start” and reviewing gear the way his friend normally would. Near the end of the video, filmed in the glow of the fire, Nichols made a request: that viewers support Smith by continuing to watch his videos, because it would “mean a lot to them.” The internet took notice. The collaboration video drew millions of views and tens of thousands of comments. On Reddit (where it was reshared), sentiments echoed the same warmth. “Luke is the man we all wish we could be,” u/jupiter_nest wrote. Another fan u/Aschentei added, “Luke giving us an early Christmas gift.”
Celesta faces a disease that affects millions. According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine by Gopal Menon, Fadi M. Alkabban and Troy Ferguson in Feb 2024, breast cancer remains one of the most common cancers among women globally and requires a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and other therapies. Families navigating these diagnoses often experience sudden shifts in daily life, roles and responsibilities. A little support can help alot.
For Nichols, returning was an act of understanding what it means to shoulder someone else’s burden. His retirement video, shaped by concerns for his own family’s privacy and well-being, now sits alongside this new gesture, proof that stepping out of the spotlight doesn’t mean stepping away from people.
More on Amplify
Woman battling breast cancer for a decade shares one thing she has learned about life — it’s surreal