Today, May 31, the Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office in Washington announced that Matt Brown, of the Discovery Channel reality series Alaskan Bush People, died at the age of 43.
Presently, the cause of death is not known, but the sheriff’s office stated that Matt’s body was found on May 30 by “a group of private citizens conducting a search along the Okanogan River.”
See the press release from the sheriff’s office, here:
Matt had been missing since May 27, with the official search being suspended by law enforcement and first responders on May 30 due to severe weather.
“I never would have suspected that he would have hurt himself,” said his younger brother, Bear Brown, in a TikTok video shared late on May 30. “He struggled for a long time.”
Watch Bear’s emotional video on the discovery of his brother’s body, here, and see more on the search for Matt, below:
@bearthekingofextreme Matt update… #alaskanbushpeople #thelifeofbear #fyp #bearthekingofextreme @Noah Brown ♬ original sound – Bear Brown
Noah Brown, also a brother to Matt, was part of the search group in Washington who located his body, and he shared thee following statement online:
@noah_dc_brown @amibrownwolfpackmama @Bear Brown @Gabe Brown @Respectthedanger ♬ original sound – Noah Brown
Matt Brown’s Brother, Bear Brown, Prayed Matt Wasn’t Dead
“I have some really bad news about Matt [Brown],” said Bear Brown, brother to Matt Brown and co-star of the Discovery Channel reality series Alaskan Bush People, in a TikTok video shared on May 28.
Prefacing his statement by saying that he couldn’t “confirm that it’s 100% true,” Bear went on to tearfully say, “I’m being told that, late last night, that Matt took his own life.”
In a video posted the next day, Bear stated that this wasn’t just based on “rumors,” but was probably “99%” Matt, adding later, “I’m still praying that it’s not.”
By the end of May 30, Matt’s body would be located by a group of people searching for him, which Noah Brown was numbered among.
Bear went on to detail what he knew, saying, “Witnesses say that he was seen in a river, at a river, or close to a river, and that he took his own life — they saw him, like, floating down the river and called the police.”
According to TMZ, an alleged witness called the Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office on May 27, saying that someone was in the Okanogan River just south of Oroville, Washington.
Matt was on Alaskan Bush People from its start in 2014 until 2019.
The show followed his family and had its finale, after 14 seasons, in 2022.
TMZ notes that Matt’s decision to exit the show came as he sought help for substance abuse, entering rehab and then relocating to Washington.
This claim about Matt is supported by Bear, who states that Matt has “been struggling for a long time” with alcohol and drugs, as well as “other issues.”
Bear goes on to clarify that reports that the Brown family had shunned Matt were false, saying it was Matt who had been rejecting the family’s help.
“Every time Gabe [Brown] sees him, he’s friendly with him,” Bear said. “I have actually talked to him, and I always just try to encourage him to stay on his path to … sobriety.”
Watch the emotional video from Matt Brown’s brother, Bear, here:
@bearthekingofextreme Really bad news about Matt #bearthekingofextreme #alaskanbushpeople #thelifeofbear #fyp ♬ original sound – Bear Brown
Matt Brown’s Final YouTube Video … And Memorable Moments From ‘Alaskan Bush People’
In the final video shared by Matt on his YouTube page, on May 25, he can be seen walking outside and begins by saying, “Things are good. I still have a recovery plan. This is, like, day two.”
He went on to list a few things he’s working on for himself, listing, “Go slow, have faith, be positive, you know? Those kinds of things.”
