Noah Brown, the brother of Alaskan Bush People star Matt Brown, is sharing what their family currently knows about his tragic death.
Matt Brown disappeared at the end of May, and his family feared he was dead. Sadly, he was found deceased in the Okanogan River in Washington on Saturday, May 30.
Although an official cause of death has not been released, the Brown family issued a statement addressing Matt’s “serious mental health challenges and addiction.”
“Mental illness and addiction are devastating diseases that impact not only the person suffering but everyone who loves them. Families facing these challenges often make difficult decisions, establish boundaries, and endure periods of separation while never losing their love for the person at the center of the struggle. Our family was no different.”
The family’s statement continued, reading, “He was imperfect. He was human. He was deeply loved. And he will be missed beyond words.“
Matt’s brother, Noah, who also appeared on Alaskan Bush People, personally spoke to Us Weekly about their relationship. He saw Matt the day before he went missing, but they didn’t get the chance to talk.
“[It was] just in one of those, like, driving by, wave-type situations,” Noah said. “I wish I had more time when I drove past…but … it is what it is.”
Noah spoke to Matt for the last time, “probably two or three weeks” before he disappeared. They ran into each other in the grocery store one day.
Recalling the last thing he ever told his brother, Noah said:
“…the last thing I said to him was, ‘OK, love you more, man,’ which was our thing. You never know when the last time you’re going to see someone is, so [our family] always [says] how you feel right before you say goodbye, because it could be the last thing. Then that was it.”
Alaskan Bush People Star Noah Brown Shares What The Family Knows About Matt Brown’s Death
In another conversation with Us Weekly (published June 1), Noah shared how much the family knows about Matt’s disappearance and death right now.
“All we can say is that he was lost in the river. He was lost in the river, and we found him,” Noah said.
Noah revealed he was present when the search team found Matt in the river. He told Us Weekly that he “personally ID’d” Matt’s body at the scene.
“There is a fishing spot in the area. The part where he apparently went in was a spot that’s a fishing area, but again, we don’t know really anything that happened,” Noah noted.
Now, the Browns are “looking at different options” as they mourn their loss. But at the moment, Noah says they’re deep “in the process of just trying to come to terms with the fact that he’s actually gone.“
Noah also shared an emotional video on Instagram about the discovery of Matt’s body, which you can watch below.
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What The Coroner Has Said About Matt Brown’s Death
Now, Matt Brown’s family is waiting to hear back from the coroner.
The Okanogan County Coroner’s Office previously issued a press release (cited by Us Weekly) about the discovery of Matt’s body. They confirmed he was identified by a family member at the scene, although they didn’t name Noah as the family member.
Additionally, the Coroner’s Office said that a postmortem examination will be conducted soon in the hopes of determining Matt’s cause of death.
Watch the video below to hear Matt’s siblings, Gabe, Rain, and Noah, speak about “the hardest thing” they’ve been coping with in the aftermath of his passing. They also spoke about the type of person he was and the things he loved to do.
Our hearts and prayers go out to Matt Brown’s family…
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health problems or substance use, you can call or text the number 988 or visit 988lifeline.org to chat any day, any time.
