Couple found alive in Alaskan wilderness had chaotic past

The Tennessee couple found alive after eight days in the Alaska wilderness have a complicated and chaotic history, according to the woman’s sister and social media posts.

Jonas Bare, 50, and Cynthia Hovsepian, 37, were spotted by a hiker Friday as they wandered through the woods in Fairbanks, a city with a population of about 30,000.

Hovsepian’s various Youtube channels include many odd and puzzling videos with a sinister edge, some of which call out Bare for alleged abuse.

But Sabine Milby, who said on Facebook that she is Hovsepian’s sister, said Cynthia had a history of serious drug abuse — which left her with an overdose-induced stroke that affected her eyesight — and that she and Bare now have a good relationship.

“She is a recovered drug addict,” Milby wrote.

“Meth and Herionm (sic) being her demons and these video clearly show this. At height of her addiction in 2021 she suffered a stroke and was found unresponsive in her car which she was living out of. A friend of hers contacted Jonas who she had been seeing but was no longer romantic with. Her drug use made it impossible for him to see her. However, when she was found in her car in Nashville Jonas came to her aid and got her to the hospital.”

“She had a massive stroke, had Covid and was close to death,” Milby continued.

“While in the hospital she had 3 more strokes and was diagnosed with Miocadidis inflammation of the heart. After months of recovery she received open heart surgery and although she lost much of her sight has made a remarkable recovery. She now lives with Jonas as a roommate and he makes sure that she is well taken care of. They decided on a long overdue vacation to Alaska which they both were excited about. There is NO foul play involved.”

How Bare and Hovsepian — who is visually impaired and occasionally relies on a cane — survived eight days in the unfamiliar wilderness is still unclear.

A number of people on two Facebook groups suggested the incident was a hoax, but the couple has not been charged with any crime.

There were no signs of a hoax, Alaska State Trooper Austin McDaniel told The Post Saturday.

“People get lost in the wilderness all the time up here,” McDaniel said.

“In this case there was a happy ending to the story.”

Bare and Hovsepian were reported missing Aug. 11 after they failed to check out of their Airbnb rental, where they left all their luggage behind, Fairbanks police said.

The dark-blue Jeep Compass the couple was renting was also found abandoned at the popular Chena Hot Springs Resort, located near the hiking trail.

Bare’s uncle told The Post Bare and Hovsepian became dazed and confused by the 20 hours of sunlight per day in the state this time of year, paired with temperatures that can drop to 45 degrees during the four hours of twilight.

“They were lost, I’m sure, and disoriented or else they would have been out of there,” he said.