You’re likely among the many viewers of the Nat Geo show Dr. Oakley, Yukon Vet. Starring the renowned veterinarian Dr. Michelle Oakley, the reality TV series shows her journey, rescuing several domestic and wild animals.
But we’re not here to talk about the show’s star and its success. We’re diving into the details of a certain child cast, Maya Oakley.
Maya is Dr. Oakley’s daughter. Oakley came on the show primarily as a vet assistant, joining her mother in treating endangered wildlife, farm animals, and domestic pets.
Stick around to learn more about Maya’s life and whether she decided to follow in her mother’s footsteps.
About Maya Oakley
Maya Oakley is the famous TV personality and decorated veterinarian Dr. Michelle Oakley’s daughter. Oakley was born in Yukon, Canada, on the 2nd of December 1998. She spent her childhood in Haines Junction.
Her rise in fame is owed to her mother’s TV series, Dr. Oakley, Yukon Vet. Oakley drew lots of inspiration from her mother as she grew up and continued to pursue similar passions.
Who Are Maya Oakley’s Parents?
Maya was born to Michelle and Shane Oakley. If that last name sounds familiar, you’ve likely been watching Nat Geo Wild and stumbled upon the hit reality TV series Dr. Oakley, Yukon Vet.
About Dr. Michelle Oakley
Dr. Michelle Oakley holds a reputable position in the veterinary industry. Her initial degree was from the University of Michigan, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Animal Biology in 1992.
The passionate vet then received a doctorate in veterinary medicine from Atlantic Veterinary College in Prince Edward Island, Canada.
Dr. Oakley graduated from the highly-esteemed university in 2000 and began an internship program at the Calgary Zoo. The facility is revered worldwide for its conservation research efforts.
After years of working in the veterinary field, she starred on the show Dr. Oakley, Yukon Vet. It premiered in 2014 with over six episodes.
Besides her impressive role in the Nat Geo Wild series, she also works as an on-call vet for the Yukon Wildlife Preserve, Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, and American Bald Eagle Foundation.
About Shane Oakley
As for Maya’s father, Shane Oakley is a firefighter. Born and raised in Yukon, Canada, the Oakley dad worked as a firefighter and Deputy Conservation Officer for most of his life.
He met Dr. Michelle while she was on a field trip in Yukon, researching arctic ground squirrel ecology as a college student. The two tied the knot in December 1992 in a memorable destination wedding in Hawaii.
Maya Oakley Joining Her Mother’s Spotlight
Initially, Maya hesitated to step into her mother’s spotlight on the show. Fortunately, Dr. Oakley was patient with her daughter and respected her decisions no matter what. She gave her a choice to either appear on the show or assist in the behind-the-scenes work.
After a few episodes, Maya warmed up to the camera and enjoyed helping her mother care for animals.
Maya Oakley’s Siblings
Maya is the second born in the Oakley family. She has two other girl siblings.
Sierra Oakley
Her older sister is Sierra, who was born in 1996. The Oakley big sister enrolled at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia and graduated with a pre-med degree in 2019.
Sierra loved joining her mom on her show. She appeared in the first season’s episode five, titled “Oakley Get Your Blow Gun.” Dr. Oakley treated domestic and wild animals in the show while taking Sierra along.
Aside from her education, Maya’s older sister also enjoyed playing sports, particularly hockey. She participated in her high school team and even attended notable events like the 2012 National Aboriginal Hockey Championships and the Canada Winter Games held in 2019.
Willow Oakley
Willow is the youngest born in the Oakley household. She was born on the 15th of July in 2004.
Despite appearing in some episodes of her mom’s reality show, she chose to discontinue filming and help with the behind-the-scenes action. For this reason, not much is known about her private life and education.
Education
Maya graduated in 2020 from the University of Western Ontario in London. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice.
In an Instagram post, Dr. Michelle praised her middle child for her academic achievement, captioning the celebratory video:
“So PROUD of Maya – graduated university!!! And only a few weeks after surviving COVID!! We wanted to throw her a huge bash but had to do it #2020 style with a few friends & family in the Alaskan woods. It turned out pretty damn special ❤ ️🙌🎉 NOTHING going to stop this woman!!”
Career
While it may seem that Oakley would follow in her mother’s footsteps in the veterinary field, she has yet to obtain the formal education and medical credentials.
Instead, her mother likely inspired an activist spirit in Oakley. Maya is an activist who supports the Minnesota Freedom Fund.The young adult uses her social media platform to discuss current issues—one of which is a controversial cash bail policy that unfairly targets communities of color.
She was especially vocal about the Black Lives Matter movement and spoke about the George Floyd incident.
Social Media Presence
Oakley has a captivating social media presence, attracting over 30 thousand followers on Instagram. Most of her posts are self-shots, some with her friends. Her highlights offer a closer take on Oakley’s life.
One of them shows her trip to Uganda with videos of gorillas and other wildlife. It exceptionally reflects her love of animals. Another highlight titled “home” displays gorgeous views of her childhood home, Yukon.
The third highlight, labeled “!!,” shows a collection of awareness shots regarding multiple issues and topics. Most of them discuss incidents during the Black Lives Matter movement. She also showed a few posts addressing abortion rights, awareness of indigenous people’s lives, and gun violence.
Her advocacy also extends to her bio, where she has a link to a GoFundMe page dedicated to helping Layla pioneer a world-first brain cancer cure. In essence, Layla, a young girl, has a rare brain cancer, and the funds are for her recovery.
On the lighter side of her highlights, you can find a bunch of wholesome shots of Oakley’s previous pet Pug, Daisy May.
Did Maya Oakley Have a Pet?
Oakley had a pet named Daisy May. The family pug dog lived for over 14 years before passing away in April 2023. The Yukon Vet Instagram page shared a dedication video post of Daisy May, captioning it:
“Thank you for all your kind messages about last night’s episode where we lost our sweet Daisy May Lover Pants❤️
I’m so happy we shared some of her specialness with you over the past 14 years, which we were lucky to have with her. We miss her every day & our hearts go out to all of you who have lost your fur babies; there’s nothing like them.”
Maya Oakley Illness Setbacks
In Oakley’s early years, she was diagnosed with mucopolysaccharidosis type 1 or MPS 1. A genetic illness inhibits the body from breaking down complex sugars.
Subsequently, it causes an over-accumulation of these complex sugars in the body’s organs and tissues. The rare disorder can produce several symptoms, including bone abnormalities, vision problems, and developmental issues.
Treatment
As Oakley grew, she had to undergo several treatment plans for the MPS 1 diagnosis. The influencer had to go through medical procedures such as enzyme replacement therapy.
It involved getting intravenous infusions to compensate for the enzyme deficiency that breaks down the body’s complex sugars.
She underwent multiple surgeries on her knees, hips, and spine to regulate her bone structure and enhance her movement.
Throughout her treatment, her family, particularly her mother, had been heavily supportive of her. Dr. Oakley took to social media, praising her daughter’s strength and resilience.
Did Maya Oakley Have COVID-19?
The middle of Oakley contracted COVID-19 in June 2020 at the end of her college years. Thankfully, her condition stabilized well, and she recovered a few weeks before graduation.
Is Maya Oakley In a Relationship?
As far as public knowledge, Oakley is not currently in a relationship. She has kept her love life away from the media’s gaze.
Final Thoughts
Who is Maya Oakley? In short, she’s publicly known as the famous veterinarian, Dr. Michelle Oakley’s daughter.
Born as a middle child, Oakley lived an adventurous life with her mother caring for all kinds of animals alongside her siblings, Sierra and Willow Oakley.
Nowadays, Maya is an influencer advocating for animal welfare and social justice. The future holds several opportunities for Oakley’s professional growth, and we can’t wait to see it!
